Laminating machine, and a method for laminating sheets of a material

ABSTRACT

A laminating machine has at least one material source, configured as a sheet feeder, for sheets of a material to be laminated. The laminating machine also has at least one imbricating device for arranging un-laminated sheets in an imbricated manner with respect to one another. The laminating machine further has at least one laminating unit for producing a laminated material web from the sheets. At least one thickness control device is arranged in a transport path which is provided for the laminated material web downstream of the at least one laminating unit. A control region of the thickness control device intersects, at least partially, with the transport path which is provided for the laminated material web.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is the U.S. National Phase, under 35 U.S.C. § 371, ofPCT/EP2017/076080, filed Oct. 12, 2017; published as WO 2018/082890 A1on May 11, 2018 and claiming priority to DE 10 2016 221 530.2, filedNov. 3, 2016, the disclosures of which are expressly incorporated hereinin their entireties by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a laminating machine and to a methodfor laminating sheets of a material. The laminating machine has at leastone material source for sheets of a material to be laminated, andconfigured as a sheet feeder. The laminating machine also has at leastone shingling unit for placing non-laminated sheets in a shingledarrangement relative to one another. The laminating machine furtherincludes at least one laminating unit for producing a laminated materialweb from the sheets.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A device in which individual sheets are placed in a shingled arrangementand are provided together with an additional coating is known from WO2015/147262 A1.

DE 10 2009 058 334 A1 discloses a laminating machine that includes aseparating device.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,536,497 B2 discloses a laminating machine that can beused to laminate sheets on both sides. One roll of laminating materialis provided for each side.

A device for laminating paper webs is known from EP 0235790 B1. Saiddevice comprises a simple roll unwinder with web tension control for thelaminating material.

A laminating machine that has a sheet feeder is known from DE 10 2010037592 A1. Said document discloses either singulating the sheets orplacing them in a shingled arrangement. Based on this arrangement, acorresponding material web is then produced.

EP 2383117 A1 discloses a laminating machine having a sheet feeder. Saiddocument discloses arranging the sheets either end to end or in ashingled manner. Based on this arrangement, a corresponding material webis then produced.

A laminating machine for laminating sheet-type material is known from WO01/87599 A1. Said document discloses producing a laminated material webfrom individual sheets by using a web-type laminating material, and thenproducing individual sheets from the material web by separations of saidmaterial web over its entire width.

DE 10 2015 221 91 9 A1 discloses a processing machine that may be alaminating machine, for example. Said machine comprises a materialsource, which is configured as a roll changer and is used forprocessing, i.e., optionally laminating, web-type material. DE 10 2015221 91 9 A1 involves essentially the possibility of rewinding theprocessed material web and for this purpose provides a webbing-up devicefor said material web.

DE 298 07023 U1 and EP 2322329 A1 each disclose a laminating machinethat uses an optical sensor and an image evaluation device to detect alayer of laminated sheets or image features and thereby controls a laserbeam device or some other separating device to perform particularlyprecise separation processes.

EP 2095945 A1 and DE 101 23521 C1 each disclose a laminating machine inwhich one or more sensors detect an edge of a sheet. EP 2095945 A1discloses a laminating machine that comprises a shingling unit forplacing non-laminated sheets in a shingled arrangement and a laminatingunit for producing a laminated material web from the sheets. Sensorsdetect the upper trailing edge of under-shingled sheets, in order toproperly control a cutting device. EP 2095945 A1 discloses a separatingdevice for separating sections from a material web, in which two sensorsare arranged spaced from one another in the axial direction,specifically downstream of the laminating zone and upstream of theoperating zone of the blade of the separating device along the transportpath of the laminated material web. DE 101 23521 C1 discloses alaminating machine and a separating device for separating sections froma material web by means of a blade. A respective blade cuts throughweb-type laminating material when the leading or trailing end oflaminated workpieces passes by a corresponding point. Two rollers canclamp the laminated workpieces. A roller pair is used to clamp andtransport the plain laminating material.

The subsequently published DE 10 2015 221665 A1 discloses a laminatingmachine and a separating device for separating sections from a materialweb by means of a blade, wherein the separating device has forward andrear clamping points and at least one stretching element and can beswitched between a traversing mode and a separation mode. A sensordetects the arrival of an already separated section at a referencepoint.

From EP 1282510 B1 a separating device for separating sections from amaterial web by means of a blade is known. One sensor detects theleading edge of a section. Another sensor detects the trailing edge ofsheets that have not yet been laminated, in order to control theseparation function. EP 1282510 B1 discloses a laminating machine thatcomprises a shingling unit for placing non-laminated sheets in ashingled arrangement and a laminating unit for producing a laminatedmaterial web from the sheets. Sensors detect the upper trailing edge ofunder-shingled sheets, in order to properly control a cutting device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a laminating machineand a method for laminating sheets of a material.

The object is attained according to the invention by the provision of atleast one thickness monitoring device that is located downstream of theat least one laminating unit, along a transport path provided for thelaminated material web. A monitoring zone of the at least one thicknessmonitoring device overlaps at least partially with the transport pathprovided for the laminated web material. The sheets are moved by ashingling unit and to a position in which they overlap one another onlypartially. The webs are fed to a laminating unit of the laminatingmachine, where they are laminated in the mutually overlapping positionby bonding to at least one laminating material, and are joined to form alaminated material web. The thickness of the laminated material web ismonitored by the thickness monitoring device. If the thickness of thelaminated material web is greater than the anticipated thickness, thethickness monitoring device sends at least one thickness signal,characterizing that thickness that is greater than the anticipatedthickness of the laminated material web, to a machine controller of thelaminating machine.

One advantage is, in particular, that sections can be separated from amaterial web in a particularly simple, precise, and rapid manner duringa running operation without creating waste, which would increase therisk of malfunction of the processing machine. Precision is preferablypromoted by two clamping devices and optionally by the individualalignment of sheets.

One advantage is, for example, that a particularly rapid andtrouble-free lamination operation is made possible. This is achieved,for example, by the use of web-type laminating material and morepreferably by the use of roll changers for unwinding the laminatingmaterial. In particular, the start of a lamination operation issimplified by the provision of a disposal unit for laminating material,for example, because this allows production to be started rapidly andeasily without laminating material having to be removed manually fromhard-to-reach areas.

One advantage is, for example, that a particularly high degree ofprecision in the application of the laminating material can be achieved.This is achieved, for example, by the use of web edge aligners and/or aweb tension controller during infeed of the laminating material.Alternatively or additionally, a particularly precise alignment ofsheets to be laminated is accomplished, for example, by singulatingand/or aligning the sheets, and/or by placing the sheets in a shingledarrangement relative to one another.

One advantage is, for example, that the sheets can be laminatedparticularly precisely and that the sheets and/or sections are notdamaged during the process, for example by approaching blades or byincomplete lamination.

One advantage involves, for example, the provision of at least onelamination monitoring device, since the proper lamination of sheets andproduction of a material web can then be monitored. This enables a rapidresponse to detected faults, for example, by stopping the separatingdevice and/or the laminating machine. In this way, waste can be avoidedand the risk of damage to the separating device and/or the laminatingmachine can be reduced.

One advantage involves, for example, the provision of at least oneseparation sensor device, as this enables a response to the faultyseparation of a section of a material web, for example by stopping theseparating device and/or the laminating machine. In this way, waste canbe avoided and the risk of damage to the separating device and/or thelaminating machine can be reduced.

One advantage involves, for example, the provision of at least onewebbing-up means for laminating material. The laminating machine canthen reach operational readiness particularly quickly and precisely, forexample after a restart or after a brief interruption in production.This facilitates handling, especially with lamination of the material onboth sides.

One advantage involves, for example, the provision of at least onethickness monitoring device for monitoring the transport path of thematerial web. This enables shingling to be carried out in a controlledmanner and/or enables separation to be performed with particularprecision, and/or enables faults that might be caused by connectingpoints in webs of laminating material to be avoided. This resultsoverall in increased production quality and lower susceptibility tomalfunction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Exemplary embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the set ofdrawings and will be described in greater detail below.

Shown are:

FIG. 1 a schematic diagram of a processing machine having a laminatingunit and a separating device;

FIG. 2a a schematic diagram of a detail of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2b a schematic diagram according to FIG. 2a with an alternative webrun;

FIG. 2c a schematic diagram of the detail of FIG. 2b with a firstwebbing-up means, arranged along a first webbing-up path;

FIG. 2d a schematic diagram of the detail of FIG. 2b with a secondwebbing-up means, arranged along a second webbing-up path;

FIG. 3 a schematic diagram of a joining of sheets and laminatingmaterials to form a material web;

FIG. 4a a schematic diagram of a material web after joining and beforeseparation;

FIG. 4b a schematic diagram of the leading end of a material web and thetrailing end of a separated section;

FIG. 5 a schematic diagram of a first embodiment of a separating device;

FIG. 6 a schematic diagram according to FIG. 5 from an obliqueperspective;

FIG. 7 a schematic diagram of a draw roller and a pressing rolleraccording to FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 a schematic diagram of a second embodiment of a separatingdevice;

FIG. 9 a schematic diagram of a webbing-up means, a connecting element,and a laminating material;

FIG. 10 a schematic diagram of a lamination monitoring device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A processing machine 01 preferably comprises at least one separatingdevice 400. Processing machine 01 is preferably configured as alaminating machine 01. Processing machine 01 is, in particular, aprocessing machine 01 for processing flat material 02; 03, for example,sheet-type flat material 03 and/or web-type flat material 02.Preferably, processing machine 01 is a laminating machine 01 forsheet-type material 03. During processing by means of processing machine01, for example, flat material 02; 03 is not in web form for the entiretime and/or at every location, and is not in sheet form for the entiretime and/or at every location. Flat material 02; 03 is preferablytransformed from a web-type state to a sheet-type state in at least oneseparation process. This occurs in a separating device 400, for example.Processing machine 01 preferably comprises at least one such separatingdevice 400. More preferably, previously flat material 03 is transformedfrom a sheet-type state to a material web 02, i.e. to flat material 02in a web-type state. This is carried out in a joining device 310, forexample, preferably configured as a laminating unit 310. Processingmachine 01 preferably comprises at least one such joining device 310,more preferably configured as at least one laminating unit 310. The atleast one laminating unit 310 is preferably a laminating unit 310 forproducing a laminated material web 02.

The non-laminated material 02, in particular the non-laminated sheets03, are preferably printed and/or embossed and/or coated. Thenon-laminated material 02, in particular the non-laminated sheets 03,preferably include paper and/or cardboard and/or paperboard and/ortextile fabric and/or cotton and/or carbon-based plastic as components.

A material web 02 is preferably understood in this context as a materialweb 02 that has already been laminated. Web-type material that is notyet laminated is referred to as non-laminated material web 02. If thematerial is already in web form prior to lamination, it preferably haspredetermined separation points. These can be introduced in processingmachine 01 or in a prior processing operation. Material that has beenseparated from material web 02 is referred to as section 04. Sheet-typematerial that is not yet laminated is referred to as non-laminatedsheets or simply as sheets. When sheets 03 are joined to form a materialweb 02, predetermined separation points are created in the resultingjoining regions. Processing machine 01 is preferably used to laminatesheets 03, i.e., to cover said sheets with at least one layer of atleast one laminating material 321; 331. This is preferably carried outon at least on one side and more preferably on both sides. The extensionor width in axial direction A of laminating material 321; 331 and/or ofthe rolls that carry laminating material 321; 331 is preferably equal tothe width of material 02 and/or sheet 03 and/or material web 02, and/orpreferably measures at least 500 mm, more preferably at least 700 mm,and even more preferably at least 800 mm. The width or extension of thelaminated material web 02 measured in the axial direction A ispreferably constant along this entire laminated material web 02 and/oris preferably as great as the greater of the dimension of sheets 03 inaxial direction A and the dimension of laminating material 321; 331 inaxial direction A. More preferably, the dimension of sheets 03 in theaxial direction A and the dimension of the laminating material 321; 331in the axial direction A are equal, and the dimension of the laminatedmaterial web 02 in this axial direction A is likewise equal thereto.

Axial direction A is preferably a horizontally oriented direction. Axialdirection A is preferably oriented orthogonally to every transportdirection of material web 02. Axial direction A is preferably orientedparallel to a rotational axis of a component of processing machine 01,for example a rotational axis 421; 423 of a pressing roller 407; 409and/or a rotational axis 422; 424 of a draw roller 406; 408 and/or atleast one stretching axis 414; 416; 417 of at least one stretchingelement 403; 412; 413.

Processing machine 01 preferably has at least one material source 100,in particular embodied as at least one material source 100 for material02 to be laminated. The at least one material source 100 is preferablyembodied as at least one sheet feeder 100, and/or the at least onematerial source 100 serves to feed sheet-type material 02, in particularnon-laminated sheets 03, into processing machine 01. Alternatively, withan appropriate configuration of processing machine 01, non-laminated oralready laminated web-type material 02 may be fed in for processing. Inthat case, the at least one material source 100 is embodied, forexample, as at least one roll unwinding device 100 for unwinding atleast one roll of material.

Material source 100, and in particular sheet feeder 100, is configured,for example, in a manner customary for a sheet feeder 100. Sheet feeder100 comprises, for example, a conveyor line 101 embodied as a belt feedtable 101 and a printing substrate bundle 102 embodied as a sheet pile102, for example, which is located in particular on a loading device,for example a pile board. The pile board is preferably connected totransport means, which ensure that the top of sheet pile 102 is held ina defined position. Sheet feeder 100 preferably includes sheetsingulating elements and sheet transport elements. The sheet singulatingelements are embodied as separating suckers, for example, and the sheettransport elements are embodied as transport suckers, for example, andtogether preferably make up part of a feeder head. The drive for thefeeder head is preferably configured such that the separating suckersexecute a predominantly vertical movement and the transport suckersexecute a predominantly horizontal movement in or opposite the sheettransport direction. Separate drives are preferably provided for theseparating suckers and the transport suckers. Separate drives areunderstood here as controllable drives, which are assigned to drive aworking element or a group of working elements, in particular to drivesaid element(s) independently of the driving of other working elementsor groups of working elements, in particular without being coupled via amechanical and/or positive drive connection to drives of other workingelements that are driven separately or likewise in one or more groups.

To avoid having to stop processing machine 01 in order to change outsheet pile 102, sheet feeder 100 is preferably equipped with a nonstopsystem. This nonstop system is equipped, in particular, with anauxiliary pile carrier, embodied, in particular, as a rake, a rollerrack, or a board, which can be transported into the region of sheet pile102 and is disposed on a slide-in unit. The auxiliary pile carrierpreferably receives the residual pile, which is resting on a transportbase, in particular a pallet, and preferably lifts the pile continuouslyto ensure the fault-free singulation and removal of the topmost sheet 03of the residual pile in each case. During this time, the new pile, whichis disposed on an additional pallet, for example, is preferably movedin, and the residual pile is then combined with the new pile.

Belt feed table 101, which is disposed downstream of sheet pile 102, isconfigured, for example, as a suction-belt feed table 101. Said feedtable preferably has at least two rollers, for example one drive rollerand at least one deflecting roller, between which an integral ormultipart conveying surface can be provided, for example, which isformed, for example, by an integral or multipart table top or by asuction module that forms the table top. The drive roller and thedeflecting roller are preferably wrapped by at least one conveyor belt,which in the case of a suction-belt feeder table 101 is embodied as asuction belt. The belt is preferably tensioned with the aid of atensioning roller and is preferably driven by an individual belt driveacting on the drive roller, for example, within a working cycle,following a speed profile. Corresponding with the drive roller arepreferably timing rollers, which are controlled against the drive rollerwithin a working cycle.

Processing machine 01 preferably has at least one preparation unit 200.Preparation unit 200 is embodied, for example, as a singulating unit200; 202 and/or as an alignment unit 200 and/or as a shingling unit 200;206; 207; 208, in particular as an under-shingling unit 200, orcomprises at least one singulating unit 200; 202 and/or at least onealignment unit 200 and/or at least one shingling unit 200; 206; 207;208. Preparation unit 200 is also referred to as sheet infeed 200. Asingulating unit 200 serves in particular for singulating sheets 03, inparticular such that each sheet 03 is spaced by a distance from thesheets 03 immediately adjacent to it. At least one singulating unit 200;202 is therefore preferably provided for spatially separatingnon-laminated sheets 03 from one another. Spatial separation isunderstood, in particular, as a state in which there is no directphysical contact. Processing machine 01 thus preferably comprises atleast one singulating unit 200; 202 for spatially separatingnon-laminated sheets 03 from one another, and at least one shinglingunit 200; 206; 207; 208 for placing non-laminated sheets 03 in ashingled arrangement relative to one another, said unit being disposedin particular downstream of the at least one singulating unit 200; 202along a provided transport path for material 02. A shingling unit 200can be omitted if a non-laminated material web 02 will be laminated andthen separated into sections 04. In the following, however, it should beassumed that non-laminated sheets 03 will be joined to form a materialweb 02, and this material web 02 will then be divided into individualsections 04. The individual sections 04 preferably correspond to thepreviously infed sheets 03, with lamination added.

Preparation unit 200 has, for example, at least one first suction drum201 embodied as stop drum 201. Preparation unit 200 further preferablyhas side marks and/or front lay cover marks and/or front stops, inparticular for bringing the sheets 03 into a desired position in acontrolled and precise manner. Preparation unit 200 preferably comprisesat least one additional suction drum 202, in particular a second suctiondrum, which is embodied, for example, as an acceleration drum 202 and/orwhich serves to transfer sheets 03 to at least one suction belt 204. Atleast the at least one suction belt 204 preferably serves to transportsheets 03 that have been singulated, in particular separated from oneanother spatially. These sheets 03 are preferably singulated to alloweach individual sheet 03 to be aligned precisely and independently ofother sheets 03. In addition, the identification of any double sheets isfacilitated. Singulation is preferably accomplished by positivelyaccelerating and then decelerating a leading sheet 03 and/or bydecelerating and then positively accelerating a trailing sheet 03.Singulating unit 200 therefore preferably comprises at least twoindependently operable drives. For example, the first suction drum 201configured as stop drum 201 is and/or can be driven by means of adifferent drive from the at least one second suction drum 202configured, for example, as acceleration drum 202, and/or from the atleast one suction belt 204.

Preparation unit 200 preferably includes at least one underfeed drum206. The at least one underfeed drum 206 is a component of shinglingunit 200, for example. The at least one underfeed drum 206 preferablyserves to accelerate sheets 03 briefly to an increased speed and thendecelerate them again in order to reduce and/or close a gap between asheet and the sheet 03 preceding it, and/or to move a subsequent sheet03 forward far enough that it overlaps with a sheet 03 preceding it. Toachieve a targeted overlap, at least one lifting device 207; 208 ispreferably provided, which is configured, for example, as a mechanicalcomponent 207 that lifts from below and/or as at least one blow nozzle207 and/or as at least one suction nozzle 208. Such a mechanicalcomponent 207 that lifts from below has, for example, at least oneeccentrically rotatable component 207 and at least one drive, inparticular one independent drive, and is more preferably configured as aclapper roller 207. Depending upon the format of the sheets 03 to beprocessed, the mechanical component 207 lifting from below, inparticular the eccentrically rotatable component 207, is always carriedstraight upward such that it lifts the rear end of a sheet 03 andpreferably transfers it to an upper suction device 208. The at least onelifting device 207; 208 preferably serves to lift the trailing end of aleading sheet 03, in particular such that the leading end of asubsequent sheet 03 can be pushed underneath this trailing end of thesheet 03 preceding it. To support the lifting movement and/or to extendthe time during which the trailing end of the sheet 03 is raised, atleast one upper suction device 208 is provided, for example. Liftingdevice 207; 208 is thus preferably adaptable to different sheet lengths.

The at least one shingling unit 200 preferably includes the at least onelifting device 207; 208. The at least one lifting device 207; 208preferably has at least one suction nozzle 208, the at least one openingof which has at least one downward directed component. The at least onesuction nozzle 208 is preferably surrounded by at least one guidesurface, which more preferably has additional suction openings 208,which even more preferably likewise have openings, each having at leastone downward directed component. At least one transport surface, inparticular for supporting sheets 03 as long as and in locations wheresuction nozzle 208 does not lift sheets 03, is preferably disposedopposite the at least one suction nozzle 208. Said transport surfacepreferably has openings that enable pressure equalization and therebyfacilitate lifting of at least portions of the sheets 03. The at leastone suction nozzle 208 is preferably located opposite the at least onemechanical component 207 that lifts from below, in particular the atleast one clapper roller 207. This at least one mechanical component 207that lifts from below is preferably disposed for operation at variablespeeds. This enables leading sheets 03 to be lifted in a sequence ofmovements adapted to their length. The at least one mechanical component207 that lifts from below, and in particular the at least one clapperroller 207, is preferably a component of shingling unit 200.

In particular, this enables at least one process operation forlaminating sheets 03 of a material 02, wherein the sheets 03 arepreferably first separated from one another spatially by means of asingulating unit 200; 202, and wherein the sheets 03 are aligned, andwherein the sheets 03, in particular once they have been separated fromone another spatially, are moved, in particular in pairs, by means of ashingling unit 200; 206; 207; 208 into a position in which they overlapone another only partially, and wherein the sheets 03 are fed to alaminating unit 310 of a laminating machine 01, where they are laminatedin the mutually overlapping position by bonding to at least onelaminating material 321; 331, and are joined to form a material web 02.In particular, the sheets 03 are preferably brought, in particular inpairs, into the only partially mutually overlapping position in that thetrailing end of the leading sheet 03 in each case is lifted, and theleading end of the respective trailing sheet 03 is then conveyed beneaththe trailing end of the respective leading sheet 03 by increasing thetransport speed of the respective trailing sheet 03 as compared with thetransport speed of the leading sheet 03, thereby or preferablythereafter bringing the respective trailing end of each leading sheet 03in contact with the respective leading end of the trailing sheet 03 ineach case. Preferably by that time at the latest, the transport speed ofthe respective leading sheet 03 is again identical to the transportspeed of the respective trailing sheet 03. The respective trailing endof a sheet 03 is preferably lifted as a result of contact with acorrespondingly moving mechanical component 207 that lifts from below,in particular the clapper roller 207. Alternatively or additionally, therespective trailing end of a sheet 03 is preferably lifted by suctionapplied by means of at least one suction nozzle 208.

Processing machine 01 preferably comprises at least one laminatingdevice 300. Laminating device 300 is preferably the device 300 thatserves to augment the flat material 02 with at least one additionallayer of material and, in particular, to produce a laminated materialweb 02, which more preferably is provided with predetermined separationpoints. Such a predetermined separation point is produced, for example,wherever two adjacent sheets 03 face one another, whether at a distance,or with end face contact, or with an overlap, as is preferred.Preparation unit 200 preferably transfers a continuous stream ofnon-laminated sheets 03, in particular arranged slightly overlapping, tolaminating device 300. In laminating device 300, this stream is coveredon at least one side and preferably on both sides with at least onelayer of a laminating material 321; 331. This results, in particular, inan overlap area 06, in which two sheets 03 are touching one another. Inthis area, each of these two sheets 03 is in contact on one side at mostwith the at least one laminating material 321; 331. The at least onelaminating material 321; 331 forms the connection between the sheets 03.Cutting through the at least one layer of laminating material 321; 331separates the sections 04 from one another. Since the layer oflaminating material 321; 331 is preferably relatively thin, this overlaparea 06 preferably represents a predetermined separation point.Overstretching the material web 02 causes, in particular, anoverstretching of the layer of laminating material 321; 331 in theoverlap area. A relatively small absolute overstretching of the materialweb 02 causes a substantial overstretching of the laminating material321; 331 in the overlap area, whereas practically no stretching occursin the area that is joined to the sheets 03.

Laminating device 300 itself preferably comprises at least onelaminating unit 310. The at least one laminating unit 310 preferablyserves to apply laminating material 321; 331 to the flat material 02.When flat material 02 is discussed in the foregoing and/or in thefollowing, this should be understood in particular to include thematerial 02 that comes from material source 100 and is provided in theat least one laminating unit 310 with at least one additional layer oflaminating material 321; 331, and is then preferably separated intoindividual sections 04. More particularly, flat material 02 is thematerial 02 that is surface-finished by the processing machine 01, whilelaminating material 321; 331 is the material that effects thesurface-finishing of the flat material 02. Laminating material 321; 331comes in particular from a lamination source 320; 330 and is preferablyfed to the flat material 02. Laminating material 321; 331 is fed, forexample, in the form of at least one web, in particular at least onefilm, and is bonded to the material 02 by pressing and/or heating and/orgluing.

Laminating device 300 itself preferably has at least one firstlamination source 320 for laminating material 321 and/or at least onesecond lamination source 330 for laminating material 331. The at leastone first lamination source 320 is preferably configured as at least oneupper lamination source 320, and/or the at least one first laminationsource 320 preferably serves to apply a first laminating material 321 toa first side of material web 02 and/or sheets 03. The at least onesecond lamination source 330 is preferably configured as at least onelower lamination source 330, and/or the at least one second laminationsource 330 preferably serves to apply a second laminating material 331to a second side of material web 02 and/or sheets 03, in particularopposite the first side of material web 02 and/or sheets 03. Laminatingdevice 300 itself preferably has at least one cooling unit 340.

The at least one first lamination source 320 is preferably configured asa first roll unwinding device 320 and/or preferably has at least onefirst roll-holding station 322. The first lamination source 320 is morepreferably embodied as at least one first roll changer 320 and/orpreferably has at least two first roll-holding stations 322, inparticular for simultaneously supporting at least two rolls of the firstlaminating material 321. These first roll-holding stations 322 arepreferably arranged pivotably, in particular jointly, about a commonfirst pivot axis 323. The positions of the two first roll-holdingstations 322 can preferably be exchanged by a common pivoting movement.The first roll unwinding device 320, configured as a first roll changer320, enables a flying roll change, for example, i.e. the joining of anew web of laminating material 321 to a web of laminating material 321that has already been largely unwound, without stopping the webs.Preferably, however, processing machine 01 is stopped in order to changethe infeed of laminating material 321 to a new roll. Nevertheless, thisis carried out very quickly due to the configuration as a first rollchanger 320.

The at least one first lamination source 320 preferably has at least onefirst web edge aligner 327, which serves, in particular, to alignlaminating material 321 in axial direction A. The at least one first webedge aligner 327 is preferably a first web edge aligner 327 exclusivelyfor aligning laminating material 321. The at least one first web edgealigner 327 has at least two alignment rollers, for example, preferablyarranged inside a movable frame, and these rollers can be used to adjustthe axial position of the first laminating material 321, in particular,by adjusting their position in space. Preferably, the at least one firstweb edge aligner 327 can be used to change the alignment with respect toaxial direction A of laminating material 321 downstream of the at leastone first web edge aligner 327 as viewed in the transport direction, inparticular without changing the position of the associated roll oflaminating material 321 with respect to axial direction A. Alternativelyor additionally, the position, in particular, of the first laminatingmaterial 321 with respect to axial direction A is adjusted, inparticular controlled or regulated, by displacing the associated roll oflaminating material 321 with respect to axial direction A. The at leastone first lamination source 320 preferably has at least one first webtension controller 324, which has, for example, at least one firstdancer roller 326 and/or at least one first dancer lever 328. At leastone first roll supplying unit is provided, for example, by means ofwhich rolls of laminating material 321 can be supplied to the first rollunwinding device 320. The at least one first roll supplying unit isembodied, for example, as at least one crane and/or as at least onelifting device and/or as at least one transporting cart and/or as atleast one track system.

The at least one first roll unwinding device 320 has two support armsper roll holding station 322, for example, each of which more preferablyhas a clamping shaft bearing, preferably embodied as a bearing cap. Theat least one first roll unwinding device 320 has at least one clampingshaft, for example, on which rolls of laminating material 321 can bereceived and held by means of carrier elements embodied as clampingjaws. At least one clamping shaft bearing preferably has a lockingelement, which in the case of a bearing cap is preferably pivotableabout a locking axis. The clamping shaft, together with the roll oflaminating material 321, is inserted with its two ends into the twoclamping shaft bearings. Each of the two clamping shaft bearings is thenclosed, preferably by pivoting the locking elements into a closedposition. Only when the respective clamping shaft bearing is in anangular position that lies within this permissible angular positionrange can the respective clamping shaft bearing be opened.

The at least one second lamination source 330 is preferably embodied asa second roll unwinding device 330 and/or preferably has at least onesecond roll holding station 332. More preferably, the second laminationsource 330 is embodied as at least one second roll changer 330 and/orpreferably has at least two second roll holding stations 332, inparticular for carrying at least two rolls of second laminating material331 simultaneously. These second roll holding stations 332 arepreferably arranged pivotably, in particular jointly, about a commonsecond pivot axis 333. The positions of the two second roll holdingstations 332 can preferably be exchanged by a joint pivoting movement.The second roll unwinding device 330 embodied as second roll changer 330preferably enables a flying roll change, i.e. the joining of a new webof laminating material 331 to a web of laminating material 331 that hasalready been largely unwound, without stopping the webs. Preferably,however, processing machine 01 is stopped in order to change the infeedof laminating material 331 to a new roll. Nevertheless, this is carriedout very quickly due to the configuration as a second roll changer 330.

The at least one second lamination source 330 preferably has at leastone second web edge aligner 337, which serves, in particular, to alignlaminating material 331 with respect to axial direction A. The at leastone second web edge aligner 337 is preferably a second web edge aligner337 exclusively for aligning laminating material 331. The at least onesecond web edge aligner 337 has at least two alignment rollers, forexample, preferably arranged inside a movable frame, and these rollerscan be used to adjust the axial position of the second laminatingmaterial 331, in particular, by adjusting their position in space.Preferably, the at least one second web edge aligner 337 can be used tochange the alignment with respect to axial direction A of laminatingmaterial 331 downstream of the at least one second web edge aligner 337as viewed in the transport direction, in particular without changing theposition of the associated roll of laminating material 331 with respectto axial direction A. Alternatively or additionally, the position, inparticular, of the second laminating material 331 with respect to axialdirection A is adjusted, in particular controlled or regulated, bydisplacing the associated roll of laminating material 331 with respectto axial direction A. The at least one second lamination source 330preferably has at least one second web tension controller 334, whichhas, for example, at least one second dancer roller 336 and/or at leastone second dancer lever 338. At least one second roll supplying unit isprovided, for example, by means of which rolls of laminating material331 can be supplied to the second roll unwinding device 330. The atleast one second roll supplying unit is embodied, for example, as atleast one crane and/or as at least one lifting device and/or as at leastone transporting cart and/or as at least one track system.

The at least one second roll unwinding device 330 has two support armsper roll holding station 332, for example, each of which more preferablyhas a clamping shaft bearing, preferably embodied as a bearing cap. Interms of clamping shafts and/or clamping shaft bearings, the at leastone second roll unwinding device 330 is preferably configured similarlyto the at least one first roll unwinding device 320.

Laminating material 321 is preferably fed from the at least one firstroll unwinding device 320 to a first laminating roller 311 of alaminating unit 310. Laminating material 331 is preferably fed from theat least one second roll unwinding device 330 to a second laminatingroller 312 of laminating unit 310. The first laminating roller 311,preferably together with the second laminating roller 312, forms a firstlamination zone 313 in their common pressing region. In the firstlamination zone 313, the lamination of the sheets 03 arriving in anoverlapping arrangement is preferably carried out. This preferablyresults in material web 02. The at least one first laminating roller 311is preferably a first laminating roller 311 that can preferably beheated internally, for example by induction, in particular to at least100° C. An inner stator with an induction coil and a rotor configuredsubstantially as a hollow cylinder with an induction coil are provided,for example. The at least one first laminating roller 311 preferably hasa lateral surface made of a wear-resistant material, for example steeland/or chromium and/or ceramic and/or a wear-resistant hard metal alloysuch as WC/Co, Cr₃C₂NiCr, NiCrBSi, WC/Ni, TiC/Ni, molybdenum or thelike, more preferably applied in a thermal spraying process.

The at least one second laminating roller 312 is preferably a secondlaminating roller 312 that can be heated in particular internally, forexample by induction, preferably to at least 100° C. An inner statorwith an induction coil and a rotor configured substantially as a hollowcylinder with an induction coil are provided, for example. The at leastone second laminating roller 312 preferably has a lateral surface madeof a relatively soft material, for example rubber. The laminating unitpreferably includes at least one heating roller 316 that can be heated,in particular internally, for example by induction, preferably to atleast 100° C., disposed upstream of the second laminating roller 312along the transport path of laminating material 331. An inner statorwith an induction coil and a rotor configured substantially as a hollowcylinder with an induction coil are provided, for example. The at leastone heating roller 316 preferably serves to heat laminating material331. In contrast, the at least one second laminating roller 312preferably serves to maintain this temperature of laminating material331 and to press laminating material 331 against the sheets 03. The atleast one first laminating roller 311 preferably serves both to heatlaminating material 321 and to press laminating material 321 against thesheets 03.

Heating the laminating material 321; 331 preferably converts thematerial into a state in which a particularly effective bonding tosheets 03 can be achieved. For example, an adhesive is thereby activatedand/or the laminating material 321; 331 is made self-adhesive by an atleast partial phase transition. Pressing in the first lamination zone313 results in a particularly effective bond between laminating material321; 331 and sheet 03. An additional pressing roller 317 is preferablyprovided which, in particular together with the first laminating roller311, forms a second lamination zone 314 in their common pressing zone.There, the bond between laminating material 321; 331 and sheet 03introduced in the first lamination zone 313 is further intensified.Pressing roller 317 is arranged, in particular, pressed against thefirst laminating roller 311. Pressing roller 317 is preferablyconfigured as heatable internally, in particular to at least 100° C. Theat least one pressing roller 317 preferably has a lateral surface madeof a relatively soft material, for example rubber.

The second laminating roller 312 is preferably displaceable orthogonallyto axial direction A, in particular to disrupt its contact with thefirst laminating roller 311 and/or with heating roller 316 or to alterits pressing force. Preferably, pressing roller 317 is displaceableorthogonally to axial direction A, in particular to disrupt its contactwith the first laminating roller 311 or to alter its pressing force.Laminating device 300 preferably comprises at least two independentlyoperable drives, one of which is associated with at least the firstlaminating roller 311 and another of which is associated with at leastthe heating roller 316. The second laminating roller 312 and/or pressingroller 317 can be driven via a gear mechanism, for example, by means ofthe same drive as the first laminating roller 311.

Processing machine 01 comprises at least one preheating device 209, forexample, which acts or is capable of acting on material 02, inparticular on sheets 03, upstream of the first lamination zone 313 alongthe transport path of material 02. In this way, the process of bondingbetween material 02 and laminating material 321; 331 can preferably beimproved. Along the transport path of material web 02, downstream oflaminating unit 310, at least one cooling unit 340 is preferablyarranged. The at least one cooling unit 340 preferably has at least onecooling roller 341, more preferably at least one cooling roller 341 oneach side of the material web 02, and even more preferably at leastthree cooling rollers 341. Cooling unit 340 preferably serves to coolthe material web 02 that is produced and/or laminated in laminating unit310.

Laminating machine 01 preferably enables a process for laminating amaterial 02 and in particular for changing at least one roll oflaminating material 321; 331, wherein the material 02 is preferably fedto a laminating unit 310 of laminating machine 01, where it ispreferably laminated by bonding to at least one laminating material 321;331, and wherein the at least one laminating material 321; 331 used forthis purpose is preferably unwound from at least one roll in alamination source 320; 330 embodied as a roll changer 320; 330, andwherein two rolls of the at least one laminating material 321; 331 arepreferably pivoted together about a common pivot axis 323; 333 of the atleast one roll changer 320; 330, and at least one web of the at leastone laminating material 321; 331 coming from one of the at least tworolls that has been unwound up to that point is joined to a web of theat least one laminating material 321; 331 coming from a different one ofthe at least two rolls, which will be unwound from that point on.

Alternatively or additionally, at least one process for laminating amaterial 02 is used, wherein the at least one laminating material 321;331 is preferably unwound from at least one roll in a lamination source320; 330 embodied at least as roll unwinding device 320; 330, andwherein the laminating material 321; 331 that has been unwound from theat least one roll is aligned, at least with respect to axial directionA, preferably by means of at least one web edge aligner 327 of the atleast one roll unwinding device 320; 330, and wherein the web tension ofthe laminating material 321; 331 that has been unwound from the at leastone roll and guided around at least one dancer roller 326; 336 of a webtension controller 324; 334 of the at least one roll unwinding device320; 330 is preferably controlled and/or regulated by means of said atleast one dancer roller 326; 336. Alternatively, or in addition to thealignment with respect to axial direction A of the laminating material321; 331 that has been unwound from the at least one roll, this rollfrom which laminating material 321; 331 is unwound is preferably movedwith respect to axial direction A.

Sheets 03 are preferably laminated on both sides. If lamination were tofail, this would be evident from the fact that sheets 03 would not befurther transported, or would be transported only improperly, downstreamof laminating unit 310.

However, if sheets 03 were unintentionally to be laminated on only oneside, a material web 02 would nevertheless be formed that would consistof a web-type laminating material 321; 331 with sheets 03 bondedthereto. It is important for such a fault to be detected. Laminatingmachine 01 therefore preferably includes at least one laminationmonitoring device 348; 349. The at least one lamination monitoringdevice 348; 349 is capable of detecting a lamination of only one side ofa material web 02. The at least one lamination monitoring device 348;349 is also called a lamination fault detection device 348; 349.

Preferably, the at least one lamination monitoring device 348; 349 isused to advantage in that the sheets 03 are joined in a shingled fashionto form a material web 02. This results in an overlap area for every twosheets 03. In this overlap area, each sheet 03 is bonded to only amaximum of one laminating material 321; 331. If one of the two layers oflaminating material 321; 331 is missing, one sheet 03 will not be bondedto any laminating material 321; 331 in the overlap area and can belifted off of the adjacent sheet 03 in this overlap area. When thematerial web 02 that is laminated on only one side is deflected with itslaminated side around a web deflecting roller 353, this area of sheet 03that is not bonded to laminating material 321; 331 will protrude awayfrom the adjacent sheet 03 as the overlap area is guided around thecurve of web deflecting roller 353. This protrusion occurs merelybecause sheet 03 is not being pulled by laminating material 321; 331against the sheet 03 that overlaps with it. The protrusion is thereforea clear indication of the absence of laminating material 321; 331. Theprotruding region then passes through a spatial area that no part of afault-free material web 02 would pass through. Thus by monitoring thisspatial area, an absence of laminating material 321; 331 can be detectedbased on the presence of a portion of a sheet 03.

Laminating machine 01 preferably comprises at least one material source100, configured as sheet feeder 100, for sheets 03 of a material 02 tobe laminated, and at least one laminating unit 310 and at least twolamination sources 320; 330, each for at least one web-type laminatingmaterial 321; 331, and at least one laminating unit 310 for producing amaterial web 02 that is laminated on both sides from sheets 03 and therespective at least one laminating material 321; 331. Laminating machine01 is preferably characterized in that downstream of a lamination zone313; 314 of laminating unit 310 along a transport path provided fortransporting the laminated material web 02, at least one laminationmonitoring device 348; 349 is located, which monitors a monitoring zonethat lies beyond a transport zone which is occupied by the transportpath provided for the laminated material web 02.

Alternatively or additionally, laminating machine 01 is preferablycharacterized in that the at least one lamination monitoring device 348;349 is situated for monitoring a monitoring zone, at least part of whichhas a minimum monitoring distance from a web deflecting roller 353.Those parts of the monitoring zone that do not have the minimummonitoring distance from web deflecting roller 353 preferably have agreater distance from said web deflecting roller 353. The minimummonitoring distance is preferably less than 20 mm, more preferably lessthan 10 mm, even more preferably less than 5 mm and more preferablystill less than 2 mm. The minimum monitoring distance is preferablygreater than zero. The minimum monitoring distance is preferably shorterthan the overlap length of adjacent sheets 03 within the laminatedmaterial web 02. This ensures that the protruding area can be detected.The minimum monitoring distance can be adjusted based upon the thicknessof sheets 03 and/or of laminating material 321; 331. The overlap lengthof adjacent sheets 03 is, in particular, the length, measured along theprovided transport path of material web 02, over which adjacent sheets03 are in mutual contact within the laminated material web 02, at leastas long as no portion thereof protrudes. The overlap length ispreferably at least 2 mm, more preferably at least 3 mm, and even morepreferably at least 4 mm, and independently thereof is preferably atmost 20 mm, more preferably at most 10 mm, and even more preferably atmost 6 mm.

Alternatively or additionally, laminating machine 01 is preferablycharacterized in that the at least one lamination monitoring device 348;349 has at least one monitoring element 351, embodied as detector 351.Alternatively or additionally, laminating machine 01 is more preferablycharacterized in that the at least one lamination monitoring device 348;349 has at least one monitoring element 352, embodied as transmittingdevice 352. This enables a signal to be transmitted and received in atargeted manner. For this purpose, the signal must preferably traversethe monitoring zone. If an obstacle is present in the monitoring zone,the signal will not be received. Essentially, the only possible obstaclewould be a potentially protruding part of a sheet 03. The absence of thesignal is then an indication of the absence of laminating material 321;331. The signal is preferably an electromagnetic signal, in particularan optical signal, for example a laser beam. Alternatively oradditionally, laminating machine 01 is preferably characterized in thatthe at least one lamination monitoring device 348; 349 has at least onemonitoring element 351, embodied as a detector 351 for electromagneticradiation, and in that the at least one lamination monitoring device348; 349 has at least one monitoring element 352, embodied as atransmitting device 352 for electromagnetic radiation.

Alternatively or additionally, laminating machine 01 is preferablycharacterized in that a rectilinear subsection of a beam path betweenthe monitoring element 352 embodied as transmitting device 352 and themonitoring element 351 embodied as detector 351 passes the lateralsurface of web deflecting roller 353 at the minimum monitoring distance.The beam path can travel directly from the monitoring element 352embodied as transmitting device 352 to the monitoring element 351embodied as detector 351, or can be deflected via at least onereflector.

To be able to detect, in particular, both an absence of the firstlaminating material 321 and alternatively an absence of the secondlaminating material 331, laminating machine 01 is preferablyalternatively or additionally characterized in that laminating machine01 has at least two lamination monitoring devices 348; 349, of which afirst lamination monitoring device 348 is arranged on a first side ofthe transport path provided for the laminated material web 02 and ofwhich a second lamination monitoring device 349 is arranged on a secondside of the transport path provided for the laminated material web 02,opposite the first side. Alternatively or additionally, laminatingmachine 01 is more preferably characterized in that the first laminationmonitoring device 348 is positioned to monitor a first monitoring zone,at least part of which is at a minimum monitoring distance from a firstweb deflecting roller 353, and in that the second lamination monitoringdevice 349 is positioned to monitor a second monitoring zone, at leastpart of which is at a minimum monitoring distance from a second webdeflecting roller 353, and in that, as described above, the minimummonitoring distance is less than 20 mm, more preferably less than 10 mm,even more preferably less than 5 mm and more preferably still less than2 mm, and/or is smaller than the overlap length of adjacent sheets 03within the laminated material web 02. Material web 02 preferably touchesthe two web deflecting rollers 353 with different sides, so that the twolamination monitoring devices 348; 349 can each detect the absence of adifferent layer of laminating material 321; 331.

As described above, laminating machine 01 preferably comprises the atleast one separating device 400 for separating sections 04 from thelaminated material web 02. The at least one lamination monitoring device348; 349 is preferably located downstream of the lamination zone 313;314 of laminating unit 310 and upstream of separating device 400 alongthe transport path provided for the transport of laminated material web02. This is the area in which laminated material web 02 is present. Acheck for the presence of laminating materials 321; 331 is thereforepreferably carried out in the area in which material web 02 is presentand not in the area in which individual sections 04 are present again.This separating device 400 preferably comprises at least one firststretching element 403, wherein the separating device 400 can beswitched between at least one first traversing mode and at least oneseparation mode by moving at least the at least one first stretchingelement 403 between at least one first traversing position and at leastone first separation position, and wherein at least one separationsensor device 463 is provided for detecting a gap between material web02 and the section 04 most recently separated. Thus, both the laminationof sheets 03 and the separation of sections 04 from material web 02 canbe monitored.

The at least one monitoring element 351 embodied as detector 351 isalternatively or additionally embodied, for example, as a lightreflection sensor 351. This enables the monitoring zone to likewise bemonitored. Elements of a sheet 03 that penetrate this light reflectionsensor 351 directly or diffusely reflect portions of electromagneticradiation, in particular light. These reflected portions can be detectedby detector 351. As the source of electromagnetic radiation, a furthermonitoring element 352 is provided, for example, embodied astransmitting device 352. This transmitting device 352 forms a singlestructural unit with detector 351, for example, which can then bemounted in a particularly space-saving manner.

As an alternative to optical sensors, at least one ultrasonic sensorand/or at least one capacitive sensor is/are provided for monitoring therespective monitoring zone.

The processing machine preferably comprises the at least one separatingdevice 400. As described above, the at least one separating device 400is preferably configured for separating the laminated material web 02,in particular, into individual sections 04 and/or for separatingsections 04 from the laminated material web 02, in particular. The atleast one separating device 400 preferably has at least one forwardclamping device 406 having at least one forward clamping point 401 andat least one rear clamping device 404 having at least one rear clampingpoint 402, and at least one first stretching element 403. Moreparticularly, the at least one forward clamping point 401 is locatedupstream of the at least one rear clamping point 402 along the providedtransport path. By clamping the material web 02 in the forward clampingdevice 406 and in the rear clamping device 404 and then stretching it,in particular overstretching it, a targeted tearing of material web 02and thus a separation of individual sections 04 can be achieved. Bymoving at least the at least one first stretching element 403 between atleast one first traversing position and at least one first separationposition, separating device 400 can preferably be switched between atleast one traversing mode and at least one separation mode. Thetraversing mode is preferably a mode in which the stretching elements403; 412; 413 allow material web 02 to traverse separating device 400unhindered, for example in a straight line between forward clampingpoint 401 and rear clamping point 402 or along a circular arc betweenforward clamping point 401 and rear clamping point 402, depending uponthe embodiment. This preferably occurs only intermittently, inparticular to advance the next designated predetermined separation pointto a corresponding position.

A vertical reference plane preferably has a horizontal normal vector. Anormal vector is in particular a vector that is oriented orthogonally toevery straight line that is fully contained within the correspondingplane. More preferably, the normal vector points in a direction thatruns in or opposite the axial direction A. A respective transport line,in particular, is preferably the shortest connection between the atleast one forward clamping point 401 and the at least one rear clampingpoint 402, said connection lying entirely within especially a respectivevertical reference plane, that passes or is tangent to any component ofseparating device 400 on the same side as a transport path provided forthe material web 02 and/or the sections 04. In this context, the sameside is understood in particular to mean that, as viewed from thecorresponding component, the transport path is closest to this componentin substantially the same direction in which the transport line is alsoclosest to this component. The transport line is preferably longer inthe at least one separation mode than in the at least one traversingmode, in particular by at least 2 mm, more preferably by at least 4 mm,and even more preferably by at least 6 mm. This extension of thetransport line, in particular when combined with a clamping of thematerial web 02 in the forward clamping device 406 and the rear clampingdevice 404, causes a corresponding region of material web 02 to stretch,and as a result, a corresponding section 04 of material web 02 isseparated, preferably at a designated predetermined separation point ofmaterial web 02. The area of action of the at least one first stretchingelement 403 is preferably located between the at least one forwardclamping device 406 and the at least one rear clamping device 404 alongthe transport line. The at least one first stretching element 403 andthe material web 02 are preferably moved relative to one another suchthat during tearing of the predetermined separation point on materialweb 02, the at least one first stretching element 403 is in contact withthis predetermined separation point on material web 02.

Separation is preferably achieved by stretching and in particularoverstretching the material web 02, and more preferably not by cuttingthe material web 02. Preferably, every contact line, lying in thereference plane and intended for contact with material web 02, of the atleast one first stretching element 403 in the area of the convexcurvatures that may be present has a minimum radius in the referenceplane, in particular, of at least 0.05 mm, preferably at least 0.1 mm,more preferably at least 0.5 mm and even more preferably at least 2 mm,and more preferably still at least 10 mm. The at least one firststretching element 403 preferably has a contact surface 462, which isintended for contact with the material web 02 and/or the sections 04.The contact area in which such contact between material web 02 and thefirst stretching element 403 actually exists varies cyclically. Thecontact line is the intersection between this contact area and thereference plane. In one preferred embodiment, the at least one firststretching element 403, and in particular the contact line thereof, hasexclusively a convex curvature, at least in the contact area, whereinthe radius of curvature is not necessarily equal at all points, andinstead preferably varies in the circumferential direction. This radiusof curvature is always at least 0.05 mm, for example, preferably atleast 0.1 mm, more preferably at least 0.5 mm and even more preferablyat least 2 mm, and more preferably still at least 10 mm. This preferablyensures that the material web 02 will be stretched, in particularoverstretched, by the at least one first stretching element 403, andmore preferably not cut. In particular, the at least one firststretching element 403, and more preferably each stretching element 403;412; 413, is preferably not configured as a blade. Any concavecurvatures that may be present typically do not contribute to thecontact surface and/or to the contact line.

In the at least one separation mode, for example, the transport line hasa minimum radius of curvature of at least 0.05 mm, preferably at least0.1 mm, more preferably at least 0.5 mm and even more preferably atleast 2 mm, and more preferably still at least 10 mm. This ensures thatthe material web 02 also will not be cut at any other point along thetransport line. In particular to ensure a controlled tearing of materialweb 02 at a desired location, for example at the designatedpredetermined separation point, the at least one first stretchingelement 403 is preferably configured such that the maximum radius of theat least one first stretching element 403 as viewed along the axialdirection A increases and/or varies. This results in at least one pointat which the material web is first stretched particularly intensely, andthus first tears. The resulting tear then preferably spreads along theat least one first stretching element 403 and/or along a designatedseparation line and/or in axial direction A. Separating device 400 istherefore preferably characterized in that a first reference plane and asecond reference plane are arranged spaced apart from one another in theaxial direction A, and in that, when the first stretching element 403 islocated in the at least one first separation position, a first transportline lying entirely within the first reference plane, in particular, anda second transport line lying entirely within the second referenceplane, in particular, have different lengths, and/or in that the maximumradius of movement of the at least one first stretching element 403 isgreater in the first reference plane than in the second reference plane.

Preferably, the at least one first stretching element 403 is arranged topivot and/or rotate eccentrically about a first stretching axis 414. Inthis way, a periodically recurring enlargement and reduction of thetransport line can be achieved in a simple manner by means of arotational movement. Preferably, neither the first clamping device 406nor the second clamping device 404 has one or more grippers. Downstreamof at least one second stretching element 412 and/or downstream of atleast one first stretching element 403 and/or downstream of at least onethird stretching element 413 in the transport direction of material web02, at least one feed device 461 is provided, for example, in particularfor guiding the leading end of the material web 02 that is created as aresult of the separation into the rear clamping point 402. The at leastone feed device 461 has at least one blower air nozzle, for example, inparticular also pointing downward. The at least one feed device 461 isconfigured, for example, as at least one guide plate permeated by aplurality of gas nozzles, these gas nozzles preferably being connectedvia a common chamber and/or further being connected to a compressed airsource.

In a first embodiment of the at least one separating device 400, inaddition to at least one first movable stretching element 403 the atleast one separating device 400 preferably comprises at least one secondstretching element 412 and more preferably at least one third stretchingelement 413. This enables an intense stretching of the material web 02to be achieved overall, even with a small movement of the individualstretching elements 403; 412; 413. The at least one separating device400 is preferably characterized in that the at least one separatingdevice 400 has at least one second stretching element 412, which ismovable between a second traversing position and a second separationposition, and in that the at least one separating device 400 has atleast one third stretching element 413, which is movable between a thirdtraversing position and a third separation position. The at least onesecond stretching element 412 is preferably located upstream of the atleast one first stretching element 403 and upstream of the at least onethird stretching element 413 along the transport path provided formaterial web 02. The at least one first stretching element 403 ispreferably located downstream of the at least one second stretchingelement 412 and upstream of the at least one third stretching element413 along the transport path provided for material web 02. The at leastthird stretching element 413 is preferably located downstream of the atleast one second stretching element 412 and downstream of the at leastone first stretching element 403 along the transport path provided formaterial web 02.

The at least one first stretching element 403 preferably maintains atall times a distance that is not equal to zero from the at least onesecond stretching element 412, in particular with respect to a directionorthogonal to the axial direction A. The at least one first stretchingelement 403 preferably maintains at all times a distance that is notequal to zero from the at least one third stretching element 413, inparticular with respect to a direction orthogonal to the axial directionA. The at least one second stretching element 412 preferably maintainsat all times a distance that is not equal to zero from the at least onethird stretching element 413, in particular with respect to a directionorthogonal to the axial direction A.

This makes it possible for the different stretching elements 403; 412;413 to act alternately on a first side or a second side of material web02. A wave-shaped profile of the transport line is thereby produced whenthe at least one separating device 400 is in the separation mode, whichresults in a relatively intense overall stretching of material web 02 inthe area of the transport line, even with small individual deflectionsof the individual stretching element 403; 412; 413. The at least oneseparating device 400 is more preferably characterized in that when thefirst stretching element 403 is situated in the first separationposition and the second stretching element 412 is situated in the secondseparation position and the third stretching element 413 is situated inthe third separation position, at least one rectilinear connectionbetween the at least one second stretching element 412 and the at leastone third stretching element 413 intersects the at least one firststretching element 403, in particular in a geometric sense.

The at least one separating device 400 is preferably characterized inthat the at least one first stretching element 403 is arranged to pivotand/or rotate eccentrically about a first stretching axis 414, and/or inthat the at least one second stretching element 412 is arranged to pivotand/or rotate eccentrically about a second stretching axis 416, and/orin that the at least one third stretching element 413 is arranged topivot and/or rotate eccentrically about a third stretching axis 417. Inthis way, a periodically recurring enlargement and reduction of thetransport line can be achieved in a simple manner by means of aplurality of rotational movements. The at least one first stretchingelement 403 and the at least one second stretching element 412 and theat least one third stretching element 413 can preferably be driven bymeans of at least one common drive, and/or are preferably coupled to oneanother via at least one gear mechanism. The first stretching axis 414is preferably arranged spaced from the second stretching axis 416 and/orfrom the third stretching axis 417. The second stretching axis 416 ispreferably arranged spaced from the third stretching axis 417. The firststretching axis 414 is preferably arranged parallel to the secondstretching axis 416 and/or parallel to the third stretching axis 417.The second stretching axis 416 is preferably arranged parallel to thethird stretching axis 417. The first stretching axis 414 and/or thesecond stretching axis 416 and/or the third stretching axis 417 arepreferably oriented parallel to axial direction A.

The at least one second stretching element 412 preferably hasexclusively one or more convex curves, at least in its contact regionand in particular the contact line thereof, wherein the radius ofcurvature is not necessarily equal everywhere, and instead preferablyvaries in the circumferential direction. This radius of curvature isalways at least 0.05 mm, for example, preferably at least 0.1 mm, morepreferably at least 0.5 mm and even more preferably at least 2 mm, andmore preferably still at least 10 mm. In a preferred embodiment, the atleast one third stretching element 413 has exclusively one or moreconvex curves, at least in its contact region and in particular thecontact line thereof, wherein the radius of curvature is not necessarilyequal everywhere, and instead preferably varies in the circumferentialdirection. This radius of curvature is always at least 0.05 mm, forexample, preferably at least 0.1 mm, more preferably at least 0.5 mm andeven more preferably at least 2 mm, and more preferably still at least10 mm. This ensures that the material web 02 will be stretched and notcut by the at least one second stretching element 412 and by the atleast one third stretching element 413. In particular, the at least onesecond stretching element 412 and the at least one third stretchingelement 413 are preferably not embodied as blades. Any concave curvesthat may be present typically do not make up part of the contactsurface.

For the safe transport of material web 02 and/or the separated sections04, for example, at least one guide device 418; 419 is provided, atleast in the region of the at least one separating device 400. The atleast one guide device 418; 419 is configured as at least one planarguide device 419, for example, in particular rigidly mounted, inparticular as at least one guide plate 419, and/or is configured, forexample, as at least one belt guidance system 418. Preferably, both atleast one belt guidance system 418 and at least one planar, inparticular rigidly mounted guide device 419 are provided. Alternativelyor additionally, the at least one separating device 400 is preferablycharacterized in that the at least one separating device 400 comprisesat least one belt guidance system 418, which includes a plurality ofconveyor belts 431, arranged one after the other in an axial direction Aand arranged with intermediate spaces located therebetween in this axialdirection A. The at least one second stretching element 412 in itssecond separation position and/or the at least one third stretchingelement 413 in its third separation position are each preferablyarranged protruding at least partially through the intermediate spaces.In this way, the transport line is raised further above the conveyorbelts 431 and is thereby lengthened. Then when the at least one firststretching element 403 dips down between the at least one secondstretching element 412 and the at least one third stretching element413, the transport line is further lengthened, without the at least onefirst stretching element 403 having to reach below the conveyor belts431.

Alternatively or additionally, the at least one separating device 400 ispreferably characterized in that the at least one second stretchingelement 412 in its second traversing position and/or the at least onethird stretching element 413 in its third traversing position issituated completely outside of a half space which is bounded by atransport plane defined by the conveyor belts 431 and in which the atleast one first stretching element 403 is situated in its firstseparation position and/or in its first traversing position. This halfspace is preferably located above the conveyor belts 431. A half spaceis understood to refer, in particular, to the spatial area that isbounded solely by one plane. Thus, each plane divides the entire spaceinto two half spaces.

For example, at least one guide plate 419 is provided, which supportsthe material web 02 and/or the sections 04, at least from below, atleast where the intermediate spaces between the conveyor belts 431 arelocated and at the same time, where no space is required for movementsof any of the stretching elements 403; 412; 413.

Preferably, the at least one separating device 400 is characterized inthat the at least one forward clamping device 406 has at least oneforward draw roller 408 or intake draw roller 408 and at least oneforward pressing roller 407 or intake pressing roller 407 that is and/orcan be thrown onto said draw roller, and/or in that the at least onerear clamping device 404 has at least one rear draw roller 411 or outletdraw roller 411 and at least one rear pressing roller 409 or outletpressing roller 409 that is and/or can be thrown onto said draw roller.

In connection with the conveyor belts 431, in particular, a specialembodiment of front clamping device 406 and/or of rear clamping device404 is preferred. This embodiment serves in particular to ensure thateven after a section 04 has been separated from material web 02, theresulting leading end of material web 02 will be guided reliably intothe rear clamping point 402 and/or along the transport path thereof.Preferably, the at least one separating device 400 is characterized inthat the forward draw roller 408 has a first plurality of recesses 432extending around it in the circumferential direction and/or in that theforward pressing roller 407 has a plurality of circumferential recesses433 identical in particular to the first plurality of recesses. Conveyorbelts 431 then preferably run through the recesses 432, in particular,of forward draw roller 408. The depth of recesses 432 of forward drawroller 408 is greater, for example, than the thickness or the smallestdimension of conveyor belts 431. Conveyor belts 431 can therefore bearranged in recesses 432, without coming into contact in this area withmaterial web 02 or sections 04, or at least with only a weak applicationof force. This allows a minimal or even a greater difference between thespeed at which conveyor belts 431 are moving and the speed at whichmaterial web 02 or sections 04 are moving, which corresponds to theperipheral speed of the forward draw roller 408 and/or the forwardpressing roller 407 and/or the rear draw roller 411 and/or the rearpressing roller 409. The recesses 432 running circumferentially aroundforward draw roller 408 are preferably configured as narrower in theaxial direction A than the recesses 433 running circumferentially aroundforward pressing roller 407, and/or each of the recesses 432 runningcircumferentially around forward draw roller 408 is arranged paired withand opposite one of the recesses 433 running circumferentially aroundforward pressing roller 407.

The at least one forward draw roller 408 preferably has a lateralsurface made of a wear-resistant material, for example steel and/orchromium and/or ceramic and/or a wear-resistant hard metal alloy suchas, for example, WC/Co, Cr₃C₂/NiCr, NiCrBSi, WC/Ni, TiC/Ni, molybdenumor the like, more preferably applied in a thermal spraying process. Theat least one forward pressing roller 407 preferably has a lateralsurface made of a relatively soft material, for example rubber. Thisensures the reliable forward transport and/or clamping of material web02 and/or sections 04, without the edges of recesses 432; 433 leaving animprint on them.

The at least one separating device 400 is preferably characterized inthat the rear draw roller 411 has a plurality of recesses 432 runningcircumferentially, the number of said recesses being identical, inparticular, to the first plurality and preferably correspondingsubstantially to the recesses 432 of forward draw roller 408, and/or inthat rear pressing roller 409 has a plurality of recesses 433 runningcircumferentially, the number of said recesses being identical, inparticular, to the first plurality and preferably correspondingsubstantially to the recesses 433 of forward pressing roller 408. Therecesses 432 running circumferentially around rear draw roller 411 arepreferably configured as narrower in the axial direction A than therecesses 433 running circumferentially around rear pressing roller 409,and/or each of the recesses 432 running circumferentially around reardraw roller 411 is arranged paired with and opposite one of the recesses433 running circumferentially around rear pressing roller 409. The atleast one rear draw roller 411 preferably has a lateral surface made ofa wear-resistant material, for example steel and/or chromium and/orceramic and/or a wear-resistant hard metal alloy such as, for example,WC/Co, Cr₃C₂/NiCr, NiCrBSi, WC/Ni, TiC/Ni, molybdenum or the like, morepreferably applied in a thermal spraying process. The at least one rearpressing roller 409 preferably has a lateral surface made of arelatively soft material, for example rubber. The depth of recesses 432of rear draw roller 408 is greater, for example, than the thickness orthe smallest dimension of conveyor belts 431. Alternatively, the depthof recesses 432 of rear draw roller 408 is exactly the same as thethickness or the smallest dimension of conveyor belts 431.

Forward draw roller 408 preferably has its own dedicated drive motor,which serves, in particular, to control the speed at which material web02 is transported through forward clamping point 401. Forward pressingroller 407 is preferably driven passively via contact with forward drawroller 408. Rear draw roller 411 preferably has its own dedicated drivemotor, which serves, in particular, to control the speed at whichmaterial web 02 and/or the respective section 04 is transported throughrear clamping point 402. Rear pressing roller 409 is preferably drivenpassively via contact with rear draw roller 411. Alternatively oradditionally, the at least one separating device 400 is preferablycharacterized in that the at least one first stretching element 403and/or the at least one second stretching element 412 and/or the atleast one third stretching element 413 can be driven via a common driveand/or independently of forward clamping device 406 and/or of rearclamping device 404.

For example, at least one separation feed roller 429 is provided, whichensures the proper feed of material web 02 to separating device 400.Preferably, conveyor belts 431 are in contact with rear draw roller 411at an angle of at least 90° and are driven by said roller.Alternatively, a different roller is responsible for driving conveyorbelts 431, for example a roller arranged downstream of rear draw roller411 along the transport path of sections 04. Preferably, one or moredeflecting rollers 426; 427 are provided, which guide conveyor belts 431around forward draw roller 408. Conveyor belts 431 then have onlyminimal contact with forward draw roller 408 and can be drivenindependently thereof. Preferably, at least one tensioning roller 428 isprovided, which serves to adjust the tension of conveyor belts 431.

In an alternative second embodiment of separating device 400, separatingdevice 400 has, in particular in place of the second and thirdstretching elements 412; 413, at least one supporting cylinder 451,which has at least one first cylinder channel 452. This separatingdevice 400 then preferably has at least one stretching cylinder 453,which cooperates with supporting cylinder 451 and which carries the atleast one first stretching element 403 and has at least one secondcylinder channel 454. The second cylinder channel 454 preferably extendsat least 30° and more preferably at least 90°, and at most 270° and morepreferably at most 180° in a circumferential direction around the atleast one stretching cylinder 453. Separating device 400 then preferablyhas at least one first clamping cylinder 456, which has at least onefirst clamping protrusion 457 that, together with supporting cylinder451, forms forward clamping device 406, preferably in at least oneclamping position. The at least one first clamping protrusion 457preferably extends at least 90° and more preferably at least 180°, andpreferably at most 30° and more preferably at most 90° in acircumferential direction around the at least one first clampingcylinder 456. Separating device 400 then preferably has at least onesecond clamping cylinder 458, which has at least one second clampingprotrusion 459 that, together with supporting cylinder 451, forms rearclamping device 404, preferably in at least one clamping position. Theat least one second clamping protrusion 459 preferably extends at least90° and more preferably at least 180°, and preferably at most 30° andmore preferably at most 90° in a circumferential direction around the atleast one second clamping cylinder 458. Preferably, at least the atleast one supporting cylinder 451 and the at least one stretchingcylinder 453 can be driven jointly and/or by means of a common drive,and/or can be driven independently of the at least one first clampingcylinder 456 and/or independently of the at least one second clampingcylinder 458.

The at least one supporting cylinder 451 preferably has a lateralsurface made of a wear-resistant material, for example steel and/orchromium and/or ceramic and/or a wear-resistant hard metal alloy, suchas, for example, WC/Co, Cr₃C₂/NiCr, NiCrBSi, WC/Ni, TiC/Ni, molybdenumor the like, more preferably applied in a thermal spraying process.Stretching cylinder 453 and/or the first clamping cylinder 456 and/orthe second clamping cylinder 458 preferably each have a lateral surfacemade of a relatively soft material, for example rubber.

Regardless of whether the at least one separating device 400 is of thefirst or the second embodiment, it preferably allows a method forseparating at least one section 04 from a material web 02. For example,sheets 03 are first removed from a sheet pile 102 and singulated, inparticular such that each sheet 03 is spaced by a distance from thesheet 03 immediately adjacent to it. Afterward, the singulated sheets 03are preferably aligned individually. The aligned sheets 03 are thenpreferably placed in a shingled position relative to one another. Moreparticularly, each sheet 03 is placed partially underneath the sheet 03that precedes it. This arrangement is referred to as under-shingling.Sheets 03, which are shingled but are nevertheless still independentrelative to one another, are then joined by means of at least onelaminating material 321; 331 to form a material web 02. Material web 02,in particular regardless of how it is produced, is preferably firmlyclamped in at least one forward clamping point 401 of at least oneforward clamping device 406 and is preferably firmly clamped in at leastone rear clamping point 402 of at least one rear clamping device 404. Atransport line is preferably the shortest connection between the atleast one forward clamping point 401 and the at least one rear clampingpoint 402, said connection lying entirely within a vertical referenceplane and passing or forming a tangent to any component of separatingdevice 400 on the same side as material web 02 and/or the at least onesection 04. At least one first stretching element 403 is moved from afirst traversing position to a first separation position, therebystretching the transport line far enough to tear the at least onesection 04 off of material web 02. In particular, the at least onesection 04 is torn off of material web 02 by tearing the at least onelaminating material 321; 331.

Material web 02 preferably tears at a respective predeterminedseparation point. After tearing, the separated section 04 preferablyinitially remains clamped in the rear clamping point 402 and can thus befurther guided and transported by rear clamping device 402. Aftertearing, material web 02 preferably initially remains clamped in theforward clamping point 401 and can thus be further guided andtransported by forward clamping device 401.

More particularly, the at least one first stretching element 403 ismoved from the first traversing position to the first separationposition while material web 02 and any sections 04 that have alreadybeen separated are advanced along the transport path. Thus, it is notnecessary to interrupt the transport of material web 02 and of theseparated sections 04. This is preferably made possible by the fact thatclamping points 401; 402 are formed by rotating components.

In the following, part of a method in which the first embodiment ofseparating device 400 is used will be described. First, material web 02is clamped in both the forward clamping point 401 and the rear clampingpoint 402, but is nevertheless transported through both clamping points401; 402 due to the rotation of forward draw roller 408 about itsrotational axis 422 and of forward pressing roller 407 about itsrotational axis 421, and due to the rotation of rear draw roller 411about its rotational axis 424 and of rear pressing roller 409 about itsrotational axis 423. While material web 02 is being transported, the atleast one second stretching element 412 is pivoted about its secondstretching axis 416 and is thereby brought into a spatial area that waspreviously occupied by material web 02. The at least one secondstretching element 412 is thereby raised, for example, above a planethat is formed by conveyor belts 431. As a result, the transport line isdeflected, in particular raised, and is thereby stretched or lengthened.The direction of rotation of the at least one second stretching element412 is preferably selected such that in the positions, in particular theseparation positions, in which said stretching element lengthens thetransport line, the at least one second stretching element 412 has amovement component that runs parallel to the direction of transport ofmaterial web 02. This preferably results in as little relative movementas possible between material web 02 and the at least one secondstretching element 412. Undesirable damage to material web 02 is therebyreduced or avoided. The angular range of movement of the at least onesecond stretching element 412 in which the at least one secondstretching element 412 protrudes at least partially above the plane thatis formed by conveyor belts 431 is preferably at least 100° and morepreferably at least 120°, and is preferably at most 150° and morepreferably at most 130°.

Also while material web 02 is being transported, the at least one thirdstretching element 413 is pivoted about its third stretching axis 417and is thereby brought into a spatial area that was previously occupiedby material web 02. The at least one third stretching element 413 isthereby raised, for example, above the plane that is formed by conveyorbelts 431. As a result, the transport line is deflected, in particularraised, and is thereby stretched or lengthened. The direction ofrotation of the at least one third stretching element 413 is preferablyselected such that in the positions, in particular the separationpositions, in which it lengthens the transport line, the at least onethird stretching element 413 has a movement component that runs parallelto the direction of transport of material web 02. This preferablyresults in as little relative movement as possible between material web02 and the at least one third stretching element 413. Undesirable damageto material web 02 is thereby reduced or avoided. The angular range ofmovement of the at least one third stretching element 413 in which theat least one third stretching element 413 protrudes at least partiallyabove the plane that is formed by conveyor belts 431 is preferably atleast 100° and more preferably at least 120°, and is preferably at most150° and more preferably at most 130°.

Also while material web 02 is being transported, the at least one firststretching element 403 is pivoted about its first stretching axis 414and is thereby brought at least partially into a spatial area that atthat time is located between portions of the at least one secondstretching element 412 and portions of the at least one third stretchingelement 413. The at least one first stretching element 403 is therebylowered, for example, between the at least one second stretching element412 and the at least one third stretching element 413. As a result, thetransport line is further lengthened, in particular because in this areait is prevented from being raised and/or is lowered, and is therebystretched or lengthened. The direction of rotation of the at least onefirst stretching element 403 is preferably selected such that in thepositions, in particular the separation positions, in which it lengthensthe transport line, the at least one first stretching element 403 has amovement component that runs parallel to the direction of transport ofmaterial web 02. This preferably results in as little relative movementas possible between material web 02 and the at least one firststretching element 403. Undesirable damage to material web 02 is therebyreduced or avoided. In that case, the method is preferably characterizedin that, in order to stretch the transport line, at least one secondstretching element 412 is moved from a second traversing position to asecond separation position, and/or at least one third stretching element413 is moved from a third traversing position to a third separationposition, and the transport line receives at least one additionalturning point with respect to its curvature, in particular as a resultof said movements. A turning point is, in particular, a point at which acurve changes its direction and/or its sign.

Lengthening the transport line causes section 04 to be separated frommaterial web 02. The predetermined separation point is preferablylocated in the region of the at least one first stretching element 403with respect to the transport path of material web 02. The separatedsection 04 is transported further by rear clamping device 404. At thelatest following a further movement of stretching elements 403; 412;413, the leading end of material web 02 preferably rests on conveyorbelts 431, and is guided by these into rear clamping device 404. Thecycle then begins again. When stretching elements 403; 412; 413 aredisposed in their respective traversing positions, they are preferablynot in contact with material web 02. Particularly because stretchingelements 403; 412; 413 are preferably driven independently of the drivesof clamping devices 404; 406, the stretching elements can be operated athigher or lower speeds and afterward can be inversely accelerated.Separating device 400 can thereby be adapted to different lengthsbetween predetermined separation points, and thus to different lengthsof sheets 03 and/or sections 04.

Alternatively or additionally, the method is preferably characterized inthat the at least one first stretching element 403 and/or the at leastone second stretching element 412 and/or the at least one thirdstretching element 413 is/are driven independently of the forwardclamping device 406 and/or independently of the rear clamping device 404and/or in particular at respective angular velocities that fluctuateperiodically. This enables an adjustment to different section lengths,i.e. different desired lengths of sections 03. In addition, it enablesthe relative speed between material web 02 and the first stretchingelement 403 and/or the second stretching element 412 and/or the thirdstretching element 413 to be minimized, in particular despite the factthat the speed of the respective stretching element 403; 412; 413,because of its rotation, is divided the majority of the time between acomponent parallel to the direction of transport of material web 02 anda component orthogonal thereto.

Alternatively or additionally, the method is preferably characterized inthat the angular velocity of the at least one second stretching element412 while said element is in contact with material web 02 is initiallydecreased and is then increased again, and/or while said element isspaced a distance from material web 02 it is driven at an angularvelocity that varies as a function of the desired section length, and/orin that the angular velocity of the at least one third stretchingelement 413 while said element is in contact with material web 02 isinitially decreased and is then increased again, and/or while saidelement is spaced a distance from material web 02 it is driven at anangular velocity that varies as a function of the desired sectionlength. Alternatively or additionally, the method is preferablycharacterized in that the angular velocity of the at least one secondstretching element 412 always coincides with the angular velocity of theat least one third stretching element 413.

The separating device 400 for separating sections 04 from a material web02, which as described above preferably has at least one forwardclamping device 406 with at least one forward clamping point 401 and atleast one rear clamping device 404 with at least one rear clamping point402 and which has at least one first stretching element 403, wherein theseparating device 400 can be switched between at least one traversingmode and at least one separation mode, preferably by moving at least theat least one first stretching element 403 between at least one firsttraversing position and at least one first separation position, or thelaminating machine 01 that comprises this separating device 400preferably has at least one separation sensor device 463. This at leastone separation sensor device 463 is preferably connected in terms ofcircuitry to a machine controller for laminating machine 01.

Preferably, at least one separation sensor device 463 for detecting arespective gap between material web 02 and the most recently separatedsection 04 is provided. This separation sensor device 463 can thus beused to monitor whether a section 04 has been successfully separatedfrom material web 02. For this purpose, separation sensor device 463preferably measures directly in the region in which separation occurs,i.e. in the region of separating device 400. Separating device 400 ispreferably characterized in that the at least one separation sensordevice 463 comprises at least two sensor elements 464; 466; 467, and inthat at least one rectilinear connection between these at least twosensor elements 464; 466; 467 intersects a provided transport path formaterial web 02 through separating device 400. It is then possible toselectively measure a signal that can be determined at the moment ofseparation. For example, the overstretching and tearing off of section04 from material web 02 results, at least briefly, in a narrow gapbetween material web 02 and the just-separated section 04. A signal, forexample, an electromagnetic signal, in particular a light signal, can betransmitted through this gap. If the signal is transmitted, this isconfirmation that the gap has existed, at least briefly, even if asubsequent reduction of the transport line by a movement of stretchingelements 403; 412; 413 brings the just-produced trailing end of thejust-separated section 04 back into an overlapping position with ajust-produced leading end of material web 02, interrupting the signalagain. The subsequent overlap does not place the successful separationof section 04 in question.

Separating device 400 is preferably characterized in that the at leastone separation sensor device 463 has at least one first sensor element467, which is located above a transport path provided for material web02 through separating device 400, and in that the at least oneseparation sensor device 463 has at least one second sensor element 464;466, which is located below the transport path of material web 02through separating device 400. Preferably, separating device 400 ischaracterized in that the at least one separation sensor device 463 hasat least one sensor element 464; 466; 467, which is located downstreamof forward clamping point 401 and/or upstream of rear clamping point 402along the transport path provided for material web 02 through separatingdevice 400. More preferably, separating device 400 is characterized inthat both the at least one first sensor element 467 of separating device400 and the at least one second sensor element 464; 466 of separatingdevice 400 is located downstream of forward clamping point 401 and/orupstream of rear clamping point 402 along the transport path providedfor material web 02 through separating device 400. This enablesseparation to be verified as early as possible.

The at least one separation sensor device 463 preferably has at leastone sensor element 464 embodied as a detector 464, which is furtherpreferably embodied as at least one detector 464 for electromagneticradiation. The at least one separation sensor device 463 preferably hasat least one sensor element 466 embodied as a transmitting device 466for electromagnetic radiation. For example, transmitting device 466 is alight source, in particular a light-emitting diode. The at least onedetector 466 is embodied, for example, as a light sensor 466 orphotocell 466.

Separating device 400 is preferably characterized in that the at leastone separation sensor device 463 has at least one sensor element 467embodied as a reflector 467, more particularly embodied as a reflector467 for electromagnetic radiation.

Alternatively or additionally, separating device 400 is preferablycharacterized in that at least one sensor element 464; 466; 467 isarranged as movable together with the at least one first stretchingelement 403, and/or in that at least one sensor element 464; 466; 467 isstationary relative to the at least one first stretching element 403. Inparticular, the at least one sensor element 467 embodied as reflector467 is preferably arranged as movable together with the at least onefirst stretching element 403 and/or as stationary relative to the atleast one first stretching element 403. Alternatively or additionally,at least one sensor element 464; 466; 467 is preferably arranged asstationary relative to a frame of separating device 400, and morepreferably, the at least one sensor element 464 embodied as detector 464is arranged as stationary relative to the frame of separating device400, and/or the at least one sensor element 466 embodied as transmittingdevice 466 is arranged as stationary relative to the frame of separatingdevice 400.

In a preferred embodiment, the at least one detector 464 is embodied assensor element 464, which is located below the transport path ofmaterial web 02 through separating device 400, and the at least onetransmitting device 466 for electromagnetic radiation is embodied assensor element 466, which is arranged below the transport path ofmaterial web 02 through separating device 400, and the at least onereflector 467 is embodied as sensor element 467, which is located abovethe provided transport path of material web 02 through separating device400. Electromagnetic radiation that is emitted by transmitting device466 with a corresponding relative alignment can then be reflected byreflector 467 and directed toward detector 464. However, this ispossible only as long as the beam path is not disrupted by material web02 or by sections 04 that have been separated therefrom.

Separating device 400 is preferably characterized in that at least, andmore preferably, only when the first stretching element 403 is disposedin its separation position is a beam path of electromagnetic radiationemanating from transmitting device 466 reflected by a reflector 467 ofseparation sensor device 463 and directed toward detector 464 ofseparation sensor device 463. Firstly, the beam path is disrupted bymaterial web 02 unless a separation has just taken place and/or is inprogress. Secondly, at least with a corresponding positioning ofreflector 467 on first stretching element 403, the position of thisfirst stretching element 403 is relevant because reflection is possibleonly when reflector 467 is aligned properly. A situation in which areflection and thus a registration of a corresponding signal is possiblepreferably exists only when the first stretching element 403 is disposedin its separation position and the transport line has been enlargedenough that a section 04 of material web 02 has been torn off, and theoverlap has been eliminated at that point, creating a gap betweenmaterial web 02 and section 04. For this overstretching, firststretching element 403 preferably must also be disposed in itsseparation position.

Alternatively, separating device 400 is characterized in that at least,and more preferably only when the first stretching element 403 isdisposed in its separation position does a transmission direction pointdirectly from the at least one transmitting device 466 toward a detector464 of separation sensor device 463.

During regular operation, the successful separation of a section 04 frommaterial web 02 should then be confirmed once per movement cycle of atleast the first stretching element 403. This is preferably monitored bya machine controller. The absence of the anticipated signal indicates afault, such as an incomplete or missing separation. In response, theoperation of separating device 400 and/or of laminating machine 01 isinterrupted, for example.

In the following, part of a method in which the second embodiment ofseparating device 400 is used will be described. In this case, themethod is preferably characterized in that the at least one firststretching element 403, in its separation position, occupies a positionin which it is intersected by a rectilinear connection between twochannel edges that delimit the first cylinder channel 452, and as aresult, the curvature of the transport line obtains at least oneadditional turning point.

First, material web 02 travels between forward clamping point 401 andrear clamping point 402. Forward clamping point 401 is defined by aforward clamping device 406, which in this case is formed by supportingcylinder 451 and by the at least one first clamping cylinder 456, moreparticularly by its first clamping protrusion 457. Rear clamping point402 is defined by a rear clamping device 404, which in this case isformed by supporting cylinder 451 and by the at least one secondclamping cylinder 458, more particularly by its second clampingprotrusion 458. The rotation of supporting cylinder 451 and firstclamping cylinder 456 and second clamping cylinder 458 transportsmaterial web 02 forward. When the at least one stretching cylinder 453is in a corresponding rotational position, the first stretching element403 attached thereto dips into the first cylinder channel 452 ofsupporting cylinder 451, which at that point is opposite the at leastone stretching cylinder 453. This causes a lengthening or stretching ofthe transport line, and thus the tearing of material web 02 similarly tothe method involving the first embodiment of the at least one separatingdevice 400.

The separated section 04 is conveyed further from rear clamping point402 and transferred to a device 502; 503 that will ensure its continuedsafe transport, for example, a further clamping point 503 or a conveyorbelt 502 or a suction belt 502. Once this has taken place, a sectionlength adjustment is made, for example, by briefly rotating the at leastone supporting cylinder 451 and the at least one stretching cylinder 453at a different angular velocity from the first clamping cylinder 456 andthe second clamping cylinder 458. To make this possible, thecircumference of the first clamping cylinder 456 is preferably dividedinto the first clamping protrusion 457 and a section 04 that is loweredin relation to said protrusion, so that the first clamping cylinder 456is intermittently out of contact with supporting cylinder 451.Furthermore, the circumference of the second clamping cylinder 458 ispreferably divided into the second clamping protrusion 459 and a section04 that is lowered in relation to said protrusion, so that the secondclamping cylinder 458 is intermittently out of contact with supportingcylinder 451, in particular at the same time as the first clampingcylinder 456. The second cylinder channel 454 of the at least onestretching cylinder 453 is preferably likewise selected in terms of itsposition and its circumferential extension such that the at least onesupporting cylinder 451 is also out of contact with the at least onestretching cylinder 453 at the same time. This enables supportingcylinder 451 to be rotated without affecting material web 02. Instead,the material web glides along supporting cylinder 451 during this time.Supporting cylinder 451 preferably has one opening or a plurality ofopenings for suctioning and/or expelling gas, in particular air, forexample for selectively securing and/or releasing the material web 02disposed thereon and/or the portion of the corresponding section 04disposed thereon.

The second cylinder channel 454 of the at least one stretching cylinder453 and the second clamping protrusion 459 of the second clampingcylinder 458 are preferably selected in terms of their respectivepositions and circumferential extensions such that after a section 04 isseparated from material web 02, the leading end of material web 02 isguided safely to rear clamping point 402, and more preferably to thedevice 502; 503 downstream, before stretching cylinder 453 and thesecond clamping cylinder 458 move back out of contact with supportingcylinder 451.

Regardless of the embodiment of the at least one separating device 400,this is followed by a further transport of the separated sections 04, inparticular by means of a corresponding device 502, for example aconveyor belt 502 and/or a suction belt 502. Downstream of separatingdevice 400, sections 04 are preferably brought at least briefly to anincreased speed to achieve the singulation of the sections. Thisfacilitates dropping of the sheets onto at least one delivery pile.Processing machine 01 preferably has at least one sheet delivery unit500. Sheet delivery unit 500 is configured, for example, as amultiple-sheet delivery unit 500. Sections 04 are preferably droppedonto one or more piles in sheet delivery unit 500. For example, sheetdelivery unit 500 has three delivery piles, of which two are preferablyprovided for the uninterrupted processing of sheets 03 and/or sections04 and one is embodied as a waste pile. Before being dropped onto one ofthe piles, sections 04 are preferably decelerated again.

Processing machine 01 has at least one disposal unit 501; 504, forexample, in particular for laminating material 321; 331 and morepreferably exclusively for laminating material 321; 331. The at leastone disposal unit 501; 504 includes, for example, at least one suctiondevice 501 and/or at least one shredding device 501 and/or at least onecutting device 504 for cross-cutting laminating material 321; 331. Theat least one cutting device 504 is preferably embodied as a lasercutting device 504 and/or as a thermal cutting device 504 and/or as acutting device 504 exclusively for laminating material 321; 331. Athermal cutting device 504 is, in particular, a device having a heatedand/or heatable element, which uses thermal energy to cut through thelaminating material 321; 331 on contact. Distinction should be made inparticular between the at least one cutting device 504 and theseparating device 400.

Cutting device 504 has at least one drive, for example, in particular atleast one electric and/or pneumatic and/or hydraulic and/or magneticdrive. For example, at the start of operation of processing machine 01,first two webs of laminating material 321; 331 are guided intolaminating unit 310, where they are joined, and are then guided throughseparating device 400 up to the disposal unit 501; 504. The process offeeding in the material to be laminated 02, in particular the sheets 03,and of producing the actual material web 02 does not begin until later.The part of the webs of laminating material 321; 331 in which no sheets03 are incorporated is preferably disposed of by the disposal unit 501;504, for example it is separated from the remaining material web 02 bycutting device 504 and/or suctioned away by suction device 501 and/orshredded by shredding device 501. As soon as the portion of material web02 that contains the first sheet 03 enters the area of disposal unit501; 504, the portion consisting only of laminating material 321; 331 issevered from the first portion that also consists of sheet 03. For thispurpose, a cut is preferably made in the axial direction A by cuttingdevice 504, in particular laser cutting device 504. Cutting device 504thereby preferably severs laminating material 321; 331 over its entireextension in the axial direction A. Disposal unit 501; 504 preferablydisposes of laminating material 321; 331 over its entire extension inthe axial direction A. Thereafter, processing machine 01 is run incontinuous operation as described above.

Laminating machine 01, which preferably has at least one material source100 for material 02 to be laminated, and which preferably has at leastone laminating unit 310, and which preferably has at least onelamination source 320; 330 for at least one web-type laminating material321; 331, is preferably characterized by at least one webbing-up means342; 343. In particular, at least one webbing-up means 342; 343 that ismovable along at least one webbing-up path 344; 346 for webbing up thelaminating material 321; 331 preferably is and/or can be arranged atleast intermittently, and more preferably permanently, within thelaminating unit 310. The webbing-up means 342; 343 is different, inparticular, from the laminating material 321; 331 in each case. Inparticular, laminating machine 01 is preferably characterized in that atleast parts of the at least one webbing-up path 344; 346, and morepreferably all parts of the at least one webbing-up path 344; 346,and/or the entire webbing-up path 344; 346 is/are spaced by a distanceof at least 1 cm, more preferably at least 2 cm, even more preferably atleast 4 cm and more preferably still at least 8 cm in axial direction Afrom every component of a transport path provided for the at least onelaminating material 321; 331 within laminating unit 310.

Alternatively or additionally, laminating machine 01 is preferablycharacterized in that the at least one laminating unit 310 has at leastone laminating roller 311; 312 and/or at least one pressing roller 317,which in pairs form at least one lamination zone 313; 314 in theirrespective common pressing zone, and in that at least one suchlaminating roller 311; 312 and/or at least one such pressing roller 317is arranged such that it is movable in a direction orthogonal to axialdirection A between at least one laminating position and at least onewebbing-up position. This mobility not only enables the adjustment ofthe pressing force in the lamination zone 313; 314, but also facilitatesthe webbing-up of laminating material 321; 331. More particularly, thespace that is necessary for feeding through one or more webs oflaminating material 321; 331, optionally together with appropriateconnecting elements 347, can be created as a result. Thus, whenlaminating roller 311; 312 and/or pressing roller 317 is/are in theirrespective webbing-up positions, in at least one lamination zone 313;314, a distance is preferably created between the laminating rollers311; 312 and/or pressing rollers 317 that are arranged forming thislamination zone 313; 314, which allows the webbing-up of at least oneweb-type laminating material 321; 331. This distance is preferably atleast 0.5 mm, more preferably at least 1 mm, even more preferably atleast 2 mm and more preferably still at least 5 mm, and independentlythereof, is preferably at most 100 mm, more preferably at most 50 mm,even more preferably at most 20 mm and more preferably still at most 10mm. Axial direction A is preferably oriented parallel to a rotationalaxis of a laminating roller 311; 312 and/or parallel to a rotationalaxis of a pressing roller 317.

Laminating machine 01 is preferably characterized in that at least oneweb-type laminating material 321; 331 is and/or can be connected via atleast one connecting element 347 to the at least one webbing-up means342; 343. This connecting element 347 is preferably embodied as at leastone webbing-up kite 347.

The at least one webbing-up means 342; 343 is configured, for example,as a finite webbing-up means 342; 343, in particular as a webbing-upchain 342; 343 or as a finite webbing-up belt 342; 343. Preferably,however, the at least one webbing-up means 342; 343 is configured as atleast one continuous webbing-up means 342; 343, in particular as atleast one webbing-up belt 342; 343, which more preferably is continuous.The at least one webbing-up means 342; 343 is preferably arrangedpermanently along its at least one webbing-up path 344; 346 withinlaminating machine 300.

Each at least one webbing-up means 342; 343 has at least two designatedconnecting points, for example, at which at least one web-typelaminating material 321; 331 can be connected directly and/or via atleast one connecting element 347 to the at least one webbing-up means342; 343.

Alternatively or additionally, laminating machine 01 is preferablycharacterized in that at least two different webbing-up means 342; 343,each of which is movable along at least one respective webbing-up path344; 346, are and/or can be arranged at least intermittently and morepreferably permanently, at least within laminating unit 310, inparticular for the separate and/or the simultaneous webbing-up ofdifferent laminating materials 321; 331. A first webbing-up means 342can thus web up the first laminating material 321, which will be usedfor laminating the sheets 03 on a first side, for example, the top.Independently of this, at the same time or with a time delay, a secondwebbing-up means 343 can web up the second laminating material 331,which will be used for laminating the sheets 03 on an opposite, secondside, for example the bottom. In particular to ensure this independence,laminating machine 01 is preferably alternatively or additionallycharacterized in that the respective webbing-up paths 344; 346 of the atleast two different webbing-up means 342; 343 are spaced from oneanother in axial direction A, and/or in that at least segments of thetransport path provided for the at least one laminating material 321;331 within laminating unit 310 are located, with respect to the axialdirection A, between at least two webbing-up paths 344; 346, each ofwhich is associated with the other of the at least two webbing-up means342; 343.

The first laminating material 321 preferably comes from the firstlamination source 320. The second laminating material 331 preferablycomes from the second lamination source 330. Alternatively oradditionally, laminating machine 01 is preferably characterized in thata first webbing-up path 344 associated with a first webbing-up means 342is associated with a first lamination source 320, and a secondwebbing-up path 346 associated with a second webbing-up means 343 isassociated with a second lamination source 330. This association isevident, for example, in that the first webbing-up path 344 extendsrelatively close to the first lamination source 320. The firstlaminating material 321 coming from said source can then be connectedparticularly easily to the first webbing-up means 342, directly or via aconnecting element 347, for example manually or automatically. Thisassociation is further evident, for example, in that the secondwebbing-up path 346 extends relatively close to the second laminationsource 330. The second laminating material 331 coming from said sourcecan then be connected particularly easily to the second webbing-up means343, directly or via a connecting element 347, for example manually orautomatically.

It is preferably nevertheless ensured that the first webbing-up path 344and the second webbing-up path 344 are associated with the samelaminating unit 310. Laminating materials 321; 331 coming from the twolamination sources 320; 330 can thus be fed to the same laminating unit310, where they are used to laminate the material 02 on both sides. Morepreferably, laminating machine 01 is alternatively or additionallycharacterized in that the first webbing-up path 344 and the secondwebbing-up path 346 are associated with the same separating device 400of laminating machine 01. The two laminating materials 321; 331 can thenbe guided individually or together up to and through the separatingdevice 400. Even more preferably, laminating machine 01 is alternativelyor additionally characterized in that the first webbing-up path 344 andthe second webbing-up path 346 are associated with the same disposalunit 501; 504 and/or cutting device 504 of laminating machine 01. Thetwo laminating materials 321; 331 can then be guided individually ortogether up to this disposal unit 501; 504 and/or cutting device 504.

Preferably, at least one web-up guiding element is provided, by means ofwhich the at least one webbing-up path 344; 346 of the at least onewebbing-up means 342; 343 can be and/or is defined. The at least oneweb-up guiding element is preferably configured as a chain track ordeflecting roller.

A process for laminating a material 02, in particular sheets 03, ispreferred. In said process, at least one laminating material 321; 331 ispreferably guided from a lamination source 320; 330 through the at leastone laminating unit 310 and more preferably through the at least onecooling unit 340 and/or the at least one separating device 400, whereinthe at least one laminating material 321; 331 is guided at leastpartially along a transport path that is provided at least for thelaminated material 02.

During a method for laminating a preferably sheet-type material 02 orsheets 03 of a material 02, at least one webbing-up process for webbingup at least one web-type laminating material 321; 331 is preferablycarried out in at least one laminating unit 310 of a laminating machine01. The webbing-up process is preferably characterized in that in thewebbing-up process, at least one webbing-up means 342; 343 is movedalong a webbing-up path 344; 346 through the at least one laminatingunit 310, pulling the at least one web-type laminating material 321; 331along a transport path provided for this at least one laminatingmaterial 321; 331, and in that the webbing-up path and the providedtransport path are spaced apart from one another as viewed in the axialdirection A.

As described above, the at least one laminating unit 310 preferablycomprises at least one laminating roller 311; 312 and/or at least onepressing roller 317, which in pairs form at least one lamination zone313; 314 in their respective common pressing zone. Alternatively oradditionally, the method is preferably characterized in that first, inan opening process, at least one such laminating roller 311; 312 and/orat least one such pressing roller 317 is moved orthogonally to the axialdirection A from a laminating position to a webbing-up position. This isfollowed, in particular, by a traversing process, in which a leading endof the web-type laminating material 321; 331 preferably traverses the atleast one lamination zone 313; 314, and more preferably both laminationzones 313; 314, in particular pulled by the respective webbing-up means342; 343. Alternatively or additionally, the method is preferablycharacterized in that subsequently, in a throw-on process, the at leastone such laminating roller 311; 312 and/or the at least one suchpressing roller 317 is/are moved orthogonally to axial direction A fromthe webbing-up position to the laminating position. More preferably, thelamination process is then started.

Alternatively or additionally, the method is preferably characterized inthat the at least one connecting element 347 traverses at least onelamination zone 313; 314 of the at least one laminating unit 310 whileat least one laminating roller 311; 312 and/or pressing roller 317 thatcontributes to defining this at least one lamination zone 313; 314 isdisposed in its webbing-up position, which is different from alamination position assigned to this laminating roller 311; 312 and/orpressing roller 317.

Alternatively or additionally, the method is preferably characterized inthat in a connection process, the at least one webbing-up means isconnected to the at least one web-type laminating material 321; 331,directly or more preferably by means of at least one connecting element347. This preferably occurs prior to the traversing process. Connectionis achieved, for example, by hooking and/or magnetically and/or by ascrew connection and/or by closing a hook and loop fastener.

Alternatively or additionally, the method is preferably characterized inthat after the webbing-up process, the material 02 to be laminated isfed to the at least one laminating unit 310, where it is laminated bybonding to the at least one web-type laminating material 321; 331. Morepreferably, the unwinding and joint pivoting and joining of the webs oflaminating materials 321; 331 as described above takes place at thattime.

Once the laminating material 321; 331 has been webbed up, the material02 to be laminated is preferably transported into laminating unit 310,where a laminated material web 02 is produced. It is also possible forthe material 02 to have already been moved into another region ofprocessing machine 01 and for lamination to begin, but it preferablydoes not begin until then. A leading portion of the at least onelaminating material 321; 331 is preferably fed to disposal unit 501;504, for example manually and/or by suctioning the leading end oflaminating material 321; 331. Said portion preferably includes twolayers of laminating material 321; 331, in particular one layer from theupper lamination source 320 and one from the lower lamination source330. The leading portion of the at least one laminating material 321;331 is preferably separated from the remaining laminating material 321;331 and/or from the laminated material web 02, more particularly beingcut off, for example by means of the cutting device 504, which ispreferably embodied as a laser cutting device 504. The laminatedmaterial web 02 is preferably transported along a different transportpath from the leading portion of the at least one laminating material321; 331. For example, the leading portion of the at least onelaminating material 321; 331 is suctioned upward, while the laminatedmaterial web 02 is further transported substantially horizontally. Thisenables a particularly simple start of operation of laminating machine01, because in regions downstream, for example in sheet delivery unit500 or in multiple-sheet delivery unit 500, the handling of plainlaminating material 321; 331 is not necessary; instead, it is necessaryonly to handle properly or poorly laminated sections 04, which inparticular have different material properties from plain laminatingmaterial 321; 331, for example greater mechanical stability.

Processing machine 01 preferably has at least one, in particularhigher-level machine controller. This machine controller preferablymonitors, in particular, whether the overlap of sheets 03 is correctand/or whether lamination is proceeding as intended and/or whether theseparation of sections 04 from material web 02 is successful.

Laminating machine 01 which, as described above, preferably has at leastone material source 100, embodied as a sheet feeder 100, for sheets 03of a material 02 to be laminated, and preferably has at least oneshingling unit 200; 206; 207; 208 for placing non-laminated sheets 03 ina shingled arrangement relative to one another, and preferably has atleast one laminating unit 310 for producing a laminated material web 02from sheets 03, is preferably alternatively or additionallycharacterized in that downstream of the at least one laminating unit 310along a transport path provided for the laminated material web 02, atleast one thickness monitoring device 354 is disposed, the monitoringzone of which overlaps at least partially with the transport pathprovided for the laminated material web 02. The at least one thicknessmonitoring device 354 preferably has at least one overlap sensor 354.Alternatively or additionally, laminating machine 01 is preferablycharacterized in that the at least one thickness monitoring device 354has at least one ultrasonic sensor and/or at least one optical sensor.

Thickness monitoring device 354 can preferably be used to check thethickness of a material currently located within its monitoring zone.The transport path of material web 02 and thus also the material web 02itself preferably runs through this monitoring zone. Different layeringsof materials thus pass through the monitoring zone. Possible layeringsinclude a layer of sheets 03 that is laminated on both sides, or a layerof sheets 03 that is laminated on only one of the two sides, or anoverlap area of two sheets 03 that is laminated on only one side, or anoverlap area of two sheets 03 that is laminated on both sides. Thejoining of a web of laminating material 321; 331 that is running out toa new web of laminating material 321; 331 to be unwound results in aconnecting point, in particular a splice. Said connecting point istypically thicker than a plain web of laminating material 321; 331. Saidconnecting point extends along the provided transport path, for exampleover at least 6 mm, preferably over at least 10 mm, more preferably overat least 20 mm and even more preferably over at least 30 mm.Independently thereof, the connecting point extends along the providedtransport path, for example over at most 300 mm, preferably over at most200 mm, more preferably over at most 100 mm and even more preferablyover at most 50 mm. More particularly, in the case of two-sidedlamination, a connecting point may be created on an upper web oflaminating material 321 and/or on a lower web of laminating material331. Thus, the aforementioned possible layerings may each be modified byone or two connecting points rather than single layers of laminatingmaterial 321; 331.

Alternatively or additionally, laminating machine 01 is preferablycharacterized in that thickness monitoring device 354 is configured atleast to distinguish between an anticipated thickness of laminatedmaterial web 02 and an increased thickness. The anticipated thicknessis, for example, the sum of the thickness of one sheet plus the combinedthickness of two webs of laminating material 321; 331. This thicknessrepresents the desired thickness of sections 04 and, during normaloperation, also corresponds to the thickness of this material web 02over a large part of the length of material web 02, for example over atleast 75% or preferably at least 90% of its length. More particularly,if at least one lamination monitoring device 348; 349 is provided, asdescribed, primarily those cases in which the thickness is greater thananticipated are of interest. These are essentially a first case, inwhich an overlap area passes through the monitoring zone of thethickness monitoring device 354, or a second case, in which at least oneconnecting point passes through the monitoring zone of the thicknessmonitoring device 354, or a third case, in which both an overlap areaand at the same time at least one connecting point pass through themonitoring zone of thickness monitoring device 354.

The overlap length, i.e. in particular the overlap length of adjacentsheets 03, is the length, measured along the provided transport path ofmaterial web 02, over which adjacent sheets 03 touch one another withinthe laminated material web 02.

A thickness signal is preferably a signal that characterizes a thicknessthat is increased beyond the anticipated thickness of the laminatedmaterial web 02. In the first case, the region, measured along theprovided transport path, over which at least one thickness signal isgenerated extends substantially over the overlap area, i.e. the overlaplength. In the second case, the region, measured along the providedtransport path, over which at least one thickness signal is generatedextends substantially over the connecting point. In the third case, theregion, measured along the provided transport path, over which at leastone thickness signal is generated likewise extends substantially overthe connecting point or is even longer, depending upon the relativeposition of overlap area and connecting point. The length of the region,measured along the provided transport path, over which at least onethickness signal is generated is determined, for example, on the basisof the time length of the thickness signal and the transport speed ofthe material web 02. Preferably however, the length of the region,measured along the provided transport path, over which at least onethickness signal is generated is calculated from an angle traversed by atransport roller 311; 312; 341; 353; 407; 408; 429 provided fortransporting the laminated material web 02 and the radius thereof. Sucha transport roller 311; 312; 341; 353; 407; 408; 429 thus serves, forexample, the first laminating roller 311 and/or the second laminatingroller 312 and/or the at least one cooling roller 341 and/or the atleast one web deflecting roller 353 and/or the at least one forwardpressing roller 407 or intake pressing roller 407 and/or the at leastone forward draw roller 408 or intake draw roller 408 and/or the atleast one separation feed roller 429.

Alternatively or additionally, laminating machine 01 is preferablycharacterized in that laminating machine 01 comprises the machinecontroller, and in that the at least one thickness monitoring device 354is connected in terms of circuitry to the machine controller oflaminating machine 01. More preferably, laminating machine 01 isalternatively or additionally characterized in that laminating machine01 has at least one transport roller 311; 312; 341; 353; 407; 408; 429provided for transporting the laminated material web 02, and in that atleast one angular position monitoring device is provided, by means ofwhich the angular position of the transport roller 311; 312; 341; 353;407; 408; 429 with respect to the rotational axis of the transportroller 311; 312; 341; 353; 407; 408; 429 can be detected, in particulardirectly or indirectly. The at least one angular position monitoringdevice is preferably connected in terms of circuitry to the machinecontroller of laminating machine 01. The at least one angular positionmonitoring device is embodied, for example, as part of the drive oftransport roller 311; 312; 341; 353; 407; 408; 429 and/or as anadditional sensor, in particular a rotary encoder.

Alternatively or additionally, laminating machine 01 is preferablycharacterized in that at least one drive of the at least one shinglingunit 200; 206; 207; 208 is connected in terms of circuitry to themachine controller of laminating machine 01. This enables thedetermination, for example, of a time window and/or a location window inwhich an overlap area is anticipated at the location of thicknessmonitoring device 354, in particular during which the time and thelocation in which shingling will take place or has taken place is takeninto account. Thus, when a thickness signal is generated, it can bedetermined whether an overlap area should be present at that location.

If no overlap area should be present at that location, the thicknesssignal will come from a connecting point. This can be verified basedupon the length of the region associated with the thickness signal. Ifthere is only one connecting point and thus the second case is present,the sheet associated with said connecting point is preferably sortedout, for example by means of the multiple-sheet delivery unit.

If an overlap area should be present at that location, the thicknesssignal will come from simply the overlap area or from a combination ofoverlap area and connecting point. This can be verified based upon thelength of the region associated with the thickness signal. If aconnecting point is present, it is likewise present in the overlap area.This is the third case. At such a site or connecting point, theseparation of a section 04 from material web 02 is risky or impossible.As a consequence, the transport of laminated material web 02 ispreferably halted in such a way that said connecting point lies in alocation that is accessible to operators and can be removed manually. Incontrast, if no connecting point is present, the overlap length can bededuced from the length of the area associated with the thicknesssignal. If the overlap length deviates too much from a setpoint value,shingling unit 200; 206; 207; 208 is preferably adjusted to improvesubsequent overlaps.

Alternatively or additionally, laminating machine 01 is preferablycharacterized in that the at least one thickness monitoring device 354is connected in terms of circuitry to the machine controller oflaminating machine 01 in such a way that the control and/or regulationof the at least one drive of shingling unit 200; 206; 207; 208 can beinfluenced by means of signals originating from the thickness monitoringdevice 354. In this way, shingling unit 200; 206; 207; 208 can beregulated in terms of the overlap length.

Alternatively or additionally, laminating machine 01 is preferablycharacterized in that laminating machine 01 comprises the at least oneseparating device 400 for separating sections 04 from the laminatedmaterial web 02, downstream of the at least one laminating unit 310 andmore preferably also downstream of the at least one overlap sensor 354along the transport path provided for the laminated material web 02.More preferably, laminating machine 01 is alternatively or additionallycharacterized in that at least one drive of the at least one separatingdevice 400 is connected in terms of circuitry to the machine controllerof laminating machine 01, and in that the at least one thicknessmonitoring device 354 is connected in terms of circuitry to the machinecontroller of laminating machine 01 in such a way that the controland/or regulation of the at least one drive of the at least oneseparating device 400 can be influenced by means of signals originatingfrom the thickness monitoring device 354.

More preferably, laminating machine 01 is alternatively or additionallycharacterized in that at least one drive provided for transporting thelaminated material web 02 is connected in terms of circuitry to themachine controller of laminating machine 01, and in that the at leastone thickness monitoring device 354 is connected in terms of circuitryto the machine controller of laminating machine 01 in such a way thatthe control and/or regulation of the at least one drive provided fortransporting the laminated material web 02 can be influenced by means ofsignals originating from the thickness monitoring device 354.

Then, when a simple overlap area is present, i.e. in the first case, itcan be verified whether the position of the overlap area and the timingof the separating device 400 are coordinated in such a way that aseparation can be carried out successfully. Otherwise, corrective actioncan be taken by accelerating and/or decelerating the material web 02and/or by modifying the actuation of stretching elements 403; 412; 413.

Alternatively or in addition to processes already described above, themethod for laminating sheets 03 of a material 02 by means of alaminating machine 01 is preferably characterized in that the sheets 03are first separated from one another spatially by means of a singulatingunit 200; 202, and/or in that the sheets 03 are aligned, and/or in thatthe sheets 03, in particular following their spatial separation, aremoved by means of a shingling unit 200; 206; 207; 208 into a position inwhich they overlap only partially with one another. Alternatively oradditionally, the method is preferably characterized in that the sheets03 are fed to the laminating unit 310 of laminating machine 01, wherethey are laminated in the mutually overlapping position by bonding to atleast one web-type laminating material 321; 331, in particular, and arejoined to form a laminated material web 02.

Alternatively or additionally, the method is preferably characterized inthat the thickness of laminated material web 02 is monitored by means ofat least one thickness monitoring device 354, and in that if thethickness of laminated material web 02 is greater than the anticipatedthickness, the thickness monitoring device 354 will send at least onethickness signal or multiple thickness signals characterizing thisgreater than anticipated thickness of laminated material web 02 to amachine controller of laminating machine 01.

Alternatively or additionally, the method is preferably characterized inthat the laminated material web 02 is divided into sections 04 by meansof separating device 400 of laminating machine 01, and in thatseparation signals are signals that characterize the movement of atleast one drive of separating device 400. The separation signals arepreferably conducted at least to the machine controller of laminatingmachine 01. More preferably, a joint evaluation of separation signalsand thickness signals is preferably carried out, in particular by meansof the machine controller of laminating machine 01. Each separationsignal characterizes, for example, the position of a stretching element403; 412; 413, in particular independently of separations that actuallyoccur.

Alternatively or additionally, the method is preferably characterized inthat if the relative sequence of separation signals and thicknesssignals deviates from the anticipated target sequence, the transportspeed of the laminated material web 02 will be at least temporarilyaltered, in particular based upon the relative sequence of separationsignals and thickness signals that deviates from the anticipated targetsequence. If necessary, further adjustments are then made, for examplewith respect to the drives of sheet feeder 100 and/or of shingling unit200; 206; 207; 208.

Alternatively or additionally, the method is preferably characterized inthat if the relative sequence of separation signals and thicknesssignals deviates from an anticipated target sequence, the regulation ofat least one drive of separating device 400 will be adjusted, takingthis deviation into account. In that case the transport of material web02 can be influenced less or not influenced at all, and instead, themovement of stretching elements 403; 412; 413 can be adjusted to saidtransport.

Alternatively or additionally, the method is preferably characterized inthat a respective overlap length is determined on the basis of at leastone thickness signal or more preferably on the basis of each thicknesssignal. More preferably, the method is alternatively or additionallycharacterized in that the respective overlap length is compared with atleast one shingling reference value and, on the basis of thiscomparison, the regulation of at least one drive of shingling unit 200;206; 207; 208 is adjusted, and/or in that the respective overlap lengthis compared with at least one connection reference value and, on thebasis of this comparison, a section 03 later separated from material web02 is ejected and/or the transport speed of laminated material web 02 isreduced, in particular to a full stop of material web 02, preferablywithin a preselected position range.

As described above, the method is preferably alternatively oradditionally characterized in that the at least one laminating material321; 331 is wound off of at least one roll in a lamination source 320;330 embodied as roll unwinding device 320; 330 and/or as roll changer320; 330.

Alternatively or additionally, the machine controller is preferablyequipped with an electronic master axis and, in particular at all times,with information regarding the precise location of sheets 03 and/orsections 04 and/or the time at which sheets 03 and/or sections 04 are toarrive at a specific location. The at least one overlap monitoringdevice can then detect the arrival of a sheet 03 and/or section 04within its monitoring zone. If deviations from scenarios resulting fromthe calculated data of the machine controller occur, a correspondingconclusion is preferably drawn, for example at least one drive isadjusted and/or at least one fault message is generated and/orprocessing machine 01 is at least partially and preferably completelystopped.

At least one inspection system is provided, for example, which checksincoming sheets 03 for their prior processing and/or which checksoutgoing sections 04 for their processing.

Sheets 03 are preferably security sheets 03 and/or banknote sheets 03.Sections 04 are preferably security sections 04 and/or banknote sections04. Preferably, each sheet 03 bears multiple copies of printed material,in particular multiple copies of securities and/or multiple copies ofbanknotes. Preferably, each section 04 bears multiple copies of printedmaterial, in particular multiple copies of securities and/or multiplecopies of banknotes. Preferably, material web 02 bears multiple copiesof printed material, in particular multiple copies of securities and/ormultiple copies of banknotes.

In the case of sheets 03 of different lengths, the movement sequences ofthe components involved in the transport of sheets 03 and of materialweb 02 and of sections 04 is adjusted, for example. Examples of suchcomponents include preparation unit 200 and/or singulating unit 200and/or alignment unit 200 and/or shingling unit 200 and/orunder-shingling unit 200 and/or sheet infeed 200 and/or stop drum 201 orsuction drum 201 and/or suction drum 202 or acceleration drum 202 and/orsuction belt 204 and/or underfeed drum 206 and/or lifting device 207;208 or blower nozzle 207 or clapper roller 207 or suction device 208 orsuction nozzle 208 and/or the first stretching element 403 and/or thesecond stretching element 412 and/or the third stretching element 413.For this purpose, the length of sheets 03 may be entered manually,measured by a sensor or queried from order data. Suitable movementsequences are then chosen from a predefined selection and/or arerecalculated. For sheets 03 of different widths, zones of suctiondevices or blower devices may be switched off, for example.

While preferred embodiments of a laminating machine and a method forlaminating sheets of a material, in accordance with the presentinvention, have been set forth fully and completely hereinabove, it willbe apparent to one of skill in the art that various changes could bemade thereto, without departing from the true spirit and scope of thepresent invention, which is accordingly to be limited only by theappended claims.

1-30. (canceled)
 31. A laminating machine (01), wherein the laminatingmachine (01) has at least one material source (100) for sheets (03) of amaterial (02) to be laminated, configured as a sheet feeder (100), andwherein the laminating machine (01) has at least one shingling unit(200; 206; 207; 208) for placing non-laminated sheets (03) in a shingledarrangement relative to one another, and wherein the laminating machine(01) has at least one laminating unit (310) for producing a laminatedmaterial web (02) from the sheets (03), characterized in that downstreamof the at least one laminating unit (310) along a transport pathprovided for the laminated material web (02), at least one thicknessmonitoring device (354) is provided, the monitoring zone of whichoverlaps at least partially with the transport path provided for thelaminated material web (02).
 32. The laminating machine according toclaim 31, characterized in that downstream of the at least onelaminating unit (310) along the transport path provided for thelaminated material web (02), the laminating machine (01) has at leastone separating device (400) for separating sections (04) from thelaminated material web (02)
 33. The laminating machine according toclaim 32, characterized in that the laminating machine (01) has amachine controller, and in that at least one drive of the at least oneseparating device (400) is connected in terms of circuitry to themachine controller of the laminating machine (01), and in that the atleast one thickness monitoring device (354) is connected in terms ofcircuitry to the machine controller of the laminating machine (01) insuch a way that the control and/or regulation of the at least one driveof the at least one separating device (400) can be influenced by meansof signals originating from the thickness monitoring device (354). 34.The laminating machine according to claim 31, characterized in that thelaminating machine (01) has a machine controller, and in that at leastone drive provided for transporting the laminated material web (02) isconnected in terms of circuitry to the machine controller of thelaminating machine (01), and in that the at least one thicknessmonitoring device (354) is connected in terms of circuitry to themachine controller of the laminating machine (01) in such a way that thecontrol and/or regulation of the at least one drive provided fortransporting the laminated material web (02) can be influenced by meansof signals originating from the thickness monitoring device (354). 35.The laminating machine according to claim 31, characterized in that thelaminating machine (01) has a machine controller, and in that at leastone drive of the at least one shingling unit (200; 206; 207; 208) isconnected in terms of circuitry to the machine controller of thelaminating machine (01), and in that the at least one thicknessmonitoring device (354) is connected in terms of circuitry to themachine controller of the laminating machine (01) in such a way that acontrol and/or regulation of the at least one drive of the shinglingunit (200; 206; 207; 208) can be influenced by means of signalsoriginating from the thickness monitoring device (354).
 36. Thelaminating machine according to claim 31, characterized in that thelaminating machine (01) has a machine controller, and in that the atleast one thickness monitoring device (354) is connected in terms ofcircuitry to the machine controller of the laminating machine (01), andin that the laminating machine (01) has at least one transport roller(311; 312; 341; 353; 407; 408; 429) provided for transporting thelaminated material web (02), and in that at least one angular positionmonitoring device is provided, by means of which the angular position ofthe transport roller (311; 312; 341; 353; 407; 408; 429) with respect tothe rotational axis of the transport roller (311; 312; 341; 353; 407;408; 429) can be detected, and in that the at least one angular positionmonitoring device is connected in terms of circuitry to the machinecontroller of the laminating machine (01).
 37. The laminating machineaccording to claim 31, characterized in that the at least one thicknessmonitoring device (354) has at least one ultrasonic sensor and/or atleast one optical sensor, and/or in that the thickness monitoring device(354) is configured at least to distinguish between an anticipatedthickness of the laminated material web (02) and a thickness which isgreater than the anticipated thickness.
 38. The laminating machineaccording to claim 31, characterized in that the at least one thicknessmonitoring device (354) has at least one overlap sensor (354).
 39. Thelaminating machine according to claim 33, characterized in that themachine controller is equipped with an electronic master axis, andinformation regarding the precise location of sheets (03) and/orsections (04) and/or the time at which sheets (03) and/or sections (04)are to arrive at a specific location is available at all times to themachine controller.
 40. The laminating machine according to claim 32,characterized in that the separating device (400) has at least oneforward clamping device (406) having at least one forward clamping point(401), and has at least one rear clamping device (404) having at leastone rear clamping point (402), and has at least one first stretchingelement (403), and in that by moving at least the at least one firststretching element (403) between at least one first traversing positionand at least one first separation position, the separating device (400)can be switched between at least one traversing mode and at least oneseparation mode.
 41. The laminating machine according to claim 32,characterized in that at least one separation sensor device (463) isprovided for detecting a gap between the material web (02) and the mostrecently separated section (04).
 42. A method for laminating sheets (03)of a material (02) by means of a laminating machine (01), wherein thesheets (03) are moved by means of a shingling unit (200; 206; 207; 208)into a position in which they overlap one another only partially, andwherein the sheets (03) are fed to a laminating unit (310) of thelaminating machine (01), where they are laminated in the mutuallyoverlapping position by bonding to at least one laminating material(321; 331), and are joined to form a laminated material web (02), andwherein the thickness of the laminated material web (02) is monitored bymeans of a thickness monitoring device (354), and wherein, if thethickness of the laminated material web (02) is greater than theanticipated thickness, the thickness monitoring device (354) sends atleast one thickness signal, characterizing said thickness that isgreater than the anticipated thickness of the laminated material web(02), to a machine controller of the laminating machine (01).
 43. Themethod according to claim 42, characterized in that the laminatedmaterial web (02) is divided into sections (04) by means of a separatingdevice (400) of the laminating machine (01), and in that separatingsignals are signals that characterize a movement of at least one driveof the separating device (400), and in that a joint evaluation ofseparation signals and thickness signals is performed.
 44. The methodaccording to claim 43, characterized in that, if the relative sequenceof separation signals and thickness signals deviates from an anticipatedtarget sequence, the transport speed of the laminated material web (02)will be adjusted at least temporarily, and/or the regulation of at leastone drive of the separating device (400) will be influenced, taking thisdeviation into account.
 45. The method according to claim 42,characterized in that a respective overlap length is determined on thebasis of at least one thickness signal, and the respective overlaplength is compared with at least one shingling reference value, and onthe basis of this comparison, the regulation of at least one drive ofthe shingling unit (200; 206; 207; 208) is influenced, and/or in thatthe respective overlap length is compared with at least one connectionreference value, and on the basis of this comparison, a section (03)that is later separated from the material web (02) is ejected and/or thetransport speed of the laminated material web (02) is reduced.